Off Limits
by MildlyInsane
Summary: Henry Bowers kidnaps Eddie Kaspbrak and keeps him tied up in his basement. While confined in the cold, dark space, Eddie gradually begins to sympathize with Henry when he overhears Henry's father yelling at and physically attacking him. Eddie desperately hopes Henry will find a way to sympathize with him too, before he ends up dead under the violent older boy's house.
1. Chapter 1

**Off Limits**

**_Summary: Henry Bowers kidnaps Eddie Kaspbrak and keeps him tied up in his basement. While confined in the cold, dark space under the house, Eddie gradually begins to sympathize with Henry when he overhears Henry's father yelling at and physically attacking him. Eddie desperately hopes Henry will find a way to sympathize with him too, before he ends up dead under the violent older boy's house._**

**Notes_:_**

**Mostly EddiePOV, with a few HenryPOV and RichiePOV chapters. ****Significant characters include Eddie, Henry, Patrick, Richie, Pennywise, Bruce Bowers, Sonia Kaspbrak. Lots of others are mentioned or referenced. Richie's there a lot near the end. The first 3/4ths of the story is pretty much Eddie, Henry, and Patrick. ****Pennywise is not a very important plot-point and they don't really properly deal with him in this story. He's just there. They don't really discuss or attempt defeating him. He makes a few appearances, but isn't a huge threat they need to overcome and his presence is fairly minimal.**

**I'm giving Henry Bowers some humanity in this too. He's still a violent, dangerous psycho, but he's got trauma and emotions other than anger. He's a complicated guy... I'd say still undeniably a villain in this, but a villain you can feel kind of bad for here and there. Doesn't excuse his actions, but explains them a little.**

**xxxxxx**

**Chapter 1**

**xxxxxx**

With a yawn, Eddie stretched his arms up over his head. "I should probably get going, Richie." He suggested, even though he really wanted to sleep another two or three hours. He and Richie had stayed up late reading comic books, eating chips and drinking soda, listening to music, and just generally talking about life... Eddie had slept over afterward. Richie's parents were fine with it, as they always were and it had been really, really fun...

The problem though, was that Eddie's mom thought he was at Bill's house, and was going to pick him up from there sometime before noon. That was the most descriptive answer she'd give, and Eddie couldn't exactly ask her for a specific time without giving away why he needed a more precise answer. She'd be suspicious if he asked for details, wondering why he needed to know... Wasn't he already at Bill's house anyway? Why did it matter? What was he up to? To avoid that, he just decided he'd need to get to Bill's house before his mom did.

"It's like six o' clock Eds. Jesus." Richie grumbled, turning over and pulling his blanket up over his shoulder.

"My mom's gonna freak out if she gets to Bill's house and I'm not there." Eddie frowned.

"Didn't she say she was picking you up at noon?" Richie rolled back over and stared at Eddie with a pout.

"Before noon. That could be anytime... Maybe even like right now." Eddie reminded him.

"You really think shes gonna get up at six am to drive over there and get you?" Richie frowned.

"Probably not... But maybe. Probably not seven either... Probably not eight... I don't want to cut it too close, Rich. Then she'll be pissed and won't ever let me stay overnight anywhere ever again." Eddie explained.

"You boys up?" Richie's mom spoke in a low voice as she knocked lightly on the door frame and peeked in through the door. Her smile was so kind, so happy, like she genuinely enjoyed having Eddie over. It made him feel happy, but also sort of jealous that his own mother seemed to take issue with every single thing he did if it didn't involve washing his hands, combing his hair neatly, making his bed, sitting up straight, and every other tiny thing she feared would kill him if it weren't precise.

Richie's mom was so cool - so warm and inviting. So non-judgmental. She always welcomed the other kids at her house, and let her son hang out with whoever he wanted. His own mom was so rigid and paranoid. He couldn't even tell her he was here right now. She thought Richie was a bad influence.

"Yeah. My mom wants me home early, so I'm gonna head out." Eddie told her with a smile. "Thanks for letting me sleep over."

"No problem, Sweetheart. You're always welcome. Want some breakfast before you go?" She asked.

Eddie shook his head. "I'm fine. Thank you." His mom would probably make him eat with her, even though he was honestly too tired to eat right now.

"Alright... If you change your mind, I'm making pancakes. There's more than enough." She told him, smiling, nodding, and walking away.

Eddie raised his eyebrows as he looked over at Richie, who rolled his eyes and frowned. "She fuckin' loves you. Not the way I love your mom, of course..." Richie smirked.

"Shut up." Eddie scoffed. "I wish she were my mom though."

"She wishes she was too. She talks about you all the time." Richie shrugged.

"What?" Eddie wrinkled his nose. "What does she say about me?"

"She's always going on about how sweet and polite and clean you are. She'd trade me out for you in a fuckin' heartbeat if she could. She wanted me to be a girl, so you'd kind of fulfill that wish." Richie shrugged.

"You're such a dick." Eddie stood up, stretching and pulling on his jacket. "See you later. I'll probably take a nap when I get to Bill's if he does't mind. Maybe have lunch with my mom so she doesn't start feeling like I hate her... Then maybe we can hang out again this afternoon."

"Sounds good. I'm goin' back to sleep. See ya." Richie rolled back over and pulled his blanket over his head.

Eddie smiled and made his way toward the front door.

"Hang on, Sweetie. Take an apple at least." Richie's mom called out, walking after him and handing him the biggest, prettiest, shiniest red apple Eddie had ever seen.

"Thanks, Ms. Tozier." Eddie smiled, taking the apple in his hand. He didn't really want it, but couldn't tell her no when she was being so nice... And it really was a gorgeous apple... for whatever that was worth.

Eddie began down the sidewalk, slowly but surely making his way toward Bill's house. He hoped Bill's family was awake. Richie was right about it being way too early... But Bill knew he was coming. They discussed this on the phone yesterday. And he knew Eddie was planning to get there early. Maybe he'd be up even if his family wasn't, so Eddie could sneak in without waking everybody else up.

As he walked, Eddie looked down at the apple in his hand. He rubbed it against his shirt, cleaning off a smudge. The fruit was so shiny. Almost unrealistically so. He wondered if Richie's mom went somewhere special to buy it. It just didn't look like the apples his own mom bought. Maybe it was one of the really expensive kinds that were grown way, way out of state - the ones his mom refused to buy because of the chemicals used to grow them.

Eddie inadvertently shrunk slightly to the side when a car drove up very slowly beside him. For a moment, he was content to just ignore it and keep walking. They were probably from out of town. Maybe they were looking for an unfamiliar address or street... But they didn't ever speed up. They kept pace with him long enough that he couldn't help but to look over at the car's occupants.

He let out a soft gasp when he saw who it was. Henry Bowers was driving, and his friend Patrick was in the passenger seat. They both looked amused... in a way that honestly could only be described as threateningly so.

"Hey, kiddo..." Henry smirked. "You're out early..."

Eddie swallowed and kept walking. "So are you..." He said back, not wanting to fully ignore the older boy and make him mad, but also not really wanting to say much. Why on earth were the older boys out driving around at six in the morning? Weren't they the type of kids who slept until two PM on the weekends? It was Saturday...

"Kid, we're trying to talk to you. Stop walking." Henry frowned, driving up onto the sidewalk slightly in front of Eddie and blocking his path.

"I'm just trying to get somewhere..." Eddie spoke in a small voice, but stopped walking as Henry and his friend stepped out of the car.

"Cool. We can take you somewhere." Henry grinned, stepping toward Eddie.

Eddie shook his head as he took a step back.

"Get in the car. We'll drive you to wherever you're going. It'll be faster." Henry stared.

"That's okay..." Eddie raised his hands in defense. "I can walk..." He forced a breathless smile. "Thanks though..." He added, trying his best not to offend the older boys. Obviously they were offering more than a ride. They wanted to do something mean. Eddie didn't know what, and he didn't want to know.

"We're not asking you." Patrick spoke up, his tone quite serious. "Get in the car."

Eddie swallowed as he glanced toward the car, then from Henry to Patrick, who stood very tall in contrast to his own small stature. They weren't going to take no for an answer. He wondered if he should just turn and run... or loudly scream no... Teachers at school taught him to be loud and assertive if a stranger ever tried to force him into a car... Henry and Patrick were worse than strangers.

"You all bitch about us being mean to you... Then we try to be nice..." Bowers trailed off, shaking his head as though disappointed. "I offer you a free ride, and you act like a little fucking ungrateful jerk."

"I just..." Eddie breathed, unable to find the words to convince them to leave him alone. He really didn't want to get into the car willingly... He really didn't want to be forcibly dragged into it either. They probably weren't going to let him go on their own. He was either going to have to run, scream for help... or just hope Henry's dad or his own mom happened to drive by in the next couple minutes.

"Get in the car." Henry growled, looking more and more angry with each passing second.

Patrick smirked from a few feet back, but stayed silent, letting Henry do all the talking at the moment.

"I really appreciate it..." Eddie spoke in a breathless voice. "But I'm almost there anyway, and-" He was cut off by his own scream when Henry's hand suddenly shot out and grabbed him by his upper arm. "No! Let go!" He begged.

The sound of the apple Richie's mom had given him thudding against the pavement echoed through Eddie's ears as Henry dragged him toward the car. Eddie dragged his feet and squirmed under the older boy's hands.

Henry's grip was hard and painful as he slammed Eddie's back up against the side of the car and pressed his hand over the smaller boy's mouth. He glared down into Eddie's eyes as he held him there. "Get in the back with him, Patrick." Henry growled, not moving his hard stare from Eddie's eyes.

Eddie stared back, complete fear enveloping him as he felt Patrick grab him from Henry and drag him toward the back seat.

"Please!" Eddie whimpered, grabbing at Patrick's hands and trying to pry them off of him. "I wasn't bothering you!" His voice shook. "I didn't do anything!" Of course, he knew these brutes needed no reason to taunt and abuse someone... His own mind just needed one. He needed to understand how he might deserve this - but he didn't. None of them ever did. Bowers and his gang were overly cruel to all of his friends, all of the time...

None of them ever provoked it. Maybe Richie... but he provoked them in such a way that he'd deserve some harsh words or a single shove - not the kind of twisted brutality these older boys always unleashed. Richie was also usually speaking up in defense of one of his friends, so it hardly counted as provocation at that point.

Eddie let out a small, shaking cry as Patrick forced him into the back seat and crawled in after him, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back as Eddie immediately tried to open the opposite door.

"Let me out!" Eddie begged, pulling at his arms as Patrick grabbed both of his wrists and dragged him back toward the middle of the seat. "Please let me go..." Eddie squeezed his eyes shut, trying to blink back tears. He didn't want to look weaker than he already felt. That's what they wanted - to see him in fear - to see him cry.

Patrick wordlessly dragged Eddie up against his side, putting an arm over his shoulders and gripping Eddie's forearm in a tight fist. He grabbed Eddie's other wrist with his other hand, effectively holding the younger boy in place.

Patrick was so quiet and calm as he held onto Eddie with strong, hard hands, not letting him go, but not being overly violent or angry like Henry either. Instead, the older boy just held onto him very tightly and remained otherwise still. Patrick wasn't trying to tease or terrify him at this point... He simply aimed to keep the younger boy in the back of the car. That was his job, and he was doing it.

"Where are we going?" Eddie asked in a small, panicked voice as Henry climbed back into the driver's seat and slammed the door behind him.

He had had to deal with a lot from these boys in the past. They'd corner him and his friends, hit, trip, kick them... Sometimes threaten them with knives, or lighters. Bowers and his gang had done some horrible, violent things in the past. They pushed Stanley down a flight of stairs once. One time Patrick shoved Bev against the lockers and grabbed at her chest... She said nothing else happened, but Bill said he was sure he saw the older boy trying to reach up her skirt too before Bill and Mike came to her rescue.

They hadn't ever gotten one of the Losers Club into their car... Not that Eddie knew of. This was something new - an escalation he hadn't experienced. It really scared him. There was no chance at a witness or anyone else coming to his aide now. He wasn't out in the open. They weren't near the school or at the park... They could go anywhere, and do anything.

Neither of the older boys answered Eddie's question. Henry just kept driving, while Patrick released his grip on one of Eddie's wrists and used his free hand to rub softly up and down Eddie's upper arm.

Eddie felt his breaths quicken as his chest grew cold. "Guys, my mom's gonna be looking for me..." Eddie warned in a shaking voice. "She's supposed to pick me up at Bill's house, like literally any minute now..."

"Too bad for her." Henry laughed, turning down a road Eddie recognized as the street the older boy lived on.

"She'll call the cops if I'm not there..." Eddie told him. "She over-reacts and she'll seriously report me missing within like five minutes... So I need to be there... She'll call the cops. She's done if before. She's gonna freak out if she gets to Bill's house and I'm not there."

"Sounds fine to me." Henry shrugged.

Eddie looked down at his shoulder with a pout. Patrick continued running his fingers gently up and down his arm. That was really starting to creep him out worse than Henry's overt violence. He tried to shrink down, but that only meant he had to press himself tighter to the same boy's body. He was trapped between Patrick's side, and his weirdly groping hand.

Eddie breathed in a sharp breath as he felt Patrick's hands pulling at his jacket, almost like the older boy was trying to take it off of him. "What are you doing?" Eddie whispered, grabbing his hands protectively toward the garment, holding it in place.

"Making you more comfortable." Patrick smirked.

Eddie shook his head, but Patrick continued pulling at his jacket. "Stop..." Eddie whispered, feeling tears pricking at his eyes.

"You stop." Patrick glared, putting his hand hard against Eddie's chest and pushing him back against the seat. "Stop fighting me, or I'm gonna hurt you."

Eddie felt his lower lip tremble as his vision blurred with tears, but he stopped fighting back and let Patrick pull his jacket down off of his arms, leaving him shivering slightly in his t-shirt. Patrick then resumed creepily petting his arm.

Inhaling a steadying breath, Eddie looked back up toward Henry. He had to get out of this... and soon. "She's going to report me missing..." He said again. "You'll get in a lot of trouble if she does that and-"

"No. I won't. Not unless you run your fucking mouth." Henry interrupted with a hard stare in his rear-view mirror.

"I-" Eddie stammered. "I won't... I just... She panics when I'm not where I said I'd be... and..."

"And she reports you missing all the time... So the cops won't take it seriously." Henry smirked toward the mirror as he put his car into park and turned off the ignition.

Eddie felt his breaths becoming more erratic again. Henry was right. His mom would report him missing really soon. He'd be missed right away... But Sonia had a reputation around the town... She wouldn't be taken seriously at first. It might take a day or two for anyone other than his mom and friends to really find it concerning that he was gone. That, and at the rate kids were going missing in Derry lately, he'd just be another face on a poster... There weren't search parties out for anyone else who went missing. Not anymore.

"I'm gonna show you where I live, Girly Boy." Henry turned around in his seat and grinned a rather crazy-looking smile. "You've never been in my house... I think you'll like it."

Eddie stared back with his mouth hanging slightly open. He didn't know what to say. He knew he really, really didn't want to go into that house though. If they got him in there, they could seriously do whatever they wanted without anyone ever knowing. They could murder him and have hours or days to clean up the bloody mess left behind... And Eddie was sure if they chose to kill him, it would be in a way that was horrible, bloody, messy... He wondered if Henry's dad would help him cover the crime.

"Come on, Pretty-boy." Patrick laughed as he grabbed Eddie's upper arms and pulled him from the back seat.

Shaking his head, Eddie forced himself to struggle for his life. He was scared of fighting back. Scared it would make Patrick hurt him... But he was more scared of not fighting back. Not fighting meant they'd get to do whatever they wanted to him unchallenged. He couldn't allow that. He had to at least try to get himself out of this mess.

"Let me go!" Eddie whimpered, feeling tears stinging his eyes again. "I'm not going in there! Let go!" He thrashed under Patrick's hands, kicking out wildly.

"Stop fighting." Patrick growled, dragging him effortlessly toward the house's front door.

"No!" Eddie screamed. "Stop!" He could hear his own voice shaking as his screams grew louder. Before long he wasn't even saying anything. He was just screaming.

"Shut him up." Henry growled as he took an angry step toward Eddie and Patrick.

Patrick clamped a hard hand over Eddie's mouth, which allowed Eddie to struggle more now that one of his arms was free. He could no longer make much noise above muffled screams however.

Eddie tried to shake his head as he grabbed at Patrick's hand over his mouth. His efforts just made Patrick grip him tighter, pressing his hand down painfully over Eddie's face, covering both his mouth and nose. Now he couldn't breathe either.

Patrick kept his hand pressed painfully down over Eddie's face as he lifted the smaller boy up off the ground with his arm wrapped around Eddie's waist. He was easily able to completely ignore Eddie's hands grabbing and trying to pry Patrick's hands off of him. Patrick was way too strong for Eddie's struggles to be worthwhile.

Eddie could no longer keep his tears from falling at this point. He was completely and utterly terrified, and in pain. Patrick's hands were so hard, so bruising. He and Henry were taking Eddie inside, where there would be no witnesses to whatever they were planning on doing to him.

Henry unlocked the front door and Patrick quickly dragged Eddie inside. "Where do you want him." Patrick breathed, sounding a little more out of breath than Eddie expected. Maybe his struggles were making this harder for Patrick than it seemed.

"Basement." Henry answered. "My dad won't be home for a while, but when he does come home, I don't need him finding this little brat."

Eddie felt his eyes widen. How long was Henry planning on keeping him here?

Bowers took a step toward him, grabbing at the front of his shirt while Patrick still held tightly onto him. "You don't make a fucking noise when my dad's here. Or I'll fucking kill you. He won't help you anyway. He fuckin' hates me, but not that much. He won't let our family's name be dragged through the mud. He'll help me cut up your little dead body and burn it in the woods if it comes to it." He threatened.

Eddie felt himself shaking as he struggled to breathe with Patrick's hand still pressed down over his mouth and nose.

Henry turned down a hallway and Patrick followed. They made their way through a door and down some stairs, where Henry pulled on a cord to turn on a hanging light bulb which illuminated the basement.

Patrick finally let go of Eddie, but Henry grabbed him immediately after.

"Please!" Eddie sobbed, trying to pull his arm out of Henry's grip. All of his earlier determination not to cry was gone. He was fully panicked now. "Let me go!"

Henry laughed as he did let go, but put his hands against Eddie's collar and shoved him back, really, really hard.

Eddie's back hit the wall behind him and he sunk down to the floor with a pained, breathless wince. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to get his lungs to work again. His breaths came in quick, short, wheezing gasps. He wondered if he should try to grab for his inhaler, or hold off. He feared the second the other boys saw him grab it, they'd take it from him. Smash it on the ground... Then Eddie might actually die down here.

He didn't open his eyes until he felt Henry grabbing at his wrist.

"No!" Eddie screamed, pulling his arm back, crawling backwards away from Henry as much as the small space allowed.

"Hold still." Henry growled, grabbing the smaller boy by his arm and dragging him roughly back. "Put your hands together."

Eddie stared breathlessly back. His tears had stopped, but only because he was too scared to even cry. He simply stared, wondering what Henry was doing. As he looked the older boy up and down, he realized he was holding a roll of duct tape in his hand.

Shaking his head, Eddie shrunk back. "Please... I won't fight back or scream... I..." He stammered. "Wh... What are you gonna do? What are you guys gonna do?" He felt himself trembling. His breaths were so ragged. It was making him light-headed.

Henry smirked evilly. "Put your hands together... Or I'll get my knife out and cut 'em off."

Eddie felt his lower lip trembling as his vision blurred with tears. Henry was going to tape his hands together... whether he struggled and fought back or not. If he fought the older boy through the process, he was just going to end up hurt with his hands taped anyway.

So he did what he was told, putting his hands together and letting out a small, defeated sob as Henry began wrapping quite a bit of duct tape around his wrists. "Please don't hurt me..." Eddie whimpered, looking down at his wrists as Henry wrapped the tape around several times, making sure Eddie wouldn't be freeing himself any time soon.

Henry laughed again and grabbed Eddie's feet when he was done with his hands. "Don't kick me." He ordered. "Or I'll fuckin' kick you. A lot harder."

Eddie choked out a fearful sob as he kept his legs still and watched Henry wrap a similarly large sum of tape around his ankles, securing them together.

"What are you gonna do to me?" Eddie breathed. "Please just tell me..." He whimpered.

Henry smiled silently as Patrick rubbed his hand softly on the smaller boy's shoulder. Neither of them answered.

Finally, Henry pulled off one last strip of tape, biting it loose from the roll with his teeth and pressing it over Eddie's lips. "Don't you fucking take off this tape... I'll beat the shit out of you. Remember not to be loud when my dad gets home too. He'll probably be drunk anyway, so it wouldn't matter... But if he finds you, he's gonna feel more desperate than me. He's not gonna want to admit he had a kidnapped kid in his damn basement. We'll have no choice but to fuckin' kill you."

**xxxxxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**xxxxxx**

**Chapter 2**

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Henry frowned as he stared down at his captive, the tiniest of the kids he and his friends usually targeted for all their sometimes overly vicious fun.

Wide, dark, tear-brimmed eyes stared back up at him. With his hands and ankles taped up and his mouth covered, the kid looked completely and utterly defenseless - in a way Henry kind of felt excited about if he were going to be honest. It was a rush knowing he had this much control over another living thing - especially an actual person. Henry could kill him if he wanted. He might even be able to get away with it. He didn't think he'd go that far... but it was cool to know he could... and funny that the kid knew it too.

Just knowing he could basically do whatever the hell he wanted with this kid made him feel entirely powerful - maybe more powerful than he'd ever felt in his life. Henry's heart pounded in his chest and his breaths raced as he realized he could seriously do anything with this kid - he could beat him, break his bones, cut him with his knife... kick him, piss on him, spit on him, burn him with a cigarette, choke him, stab him... Whatever he wanted. He should have abducted one of these little runts sooner. He honestly had never thought about how fun it might be to steal one of them and keep him at his house to basically be his plaything for as long as he wanted.

The boy was legitimately shaking in fear as he kept his eyes on Henry, which was actually pretty funny. Henry held so much power now, and this little piece of trash knew it.

He actually normally left this one alone. Sure, this kid was fun to push around, trip... just be a dick to... but he was so small and defenseless that it was almost too easy. Henry kind of enjoyed tormenting the ones who fought back really hard, the ones who got really mad and defensive and tried to be smart asses. This one was just so meek and passive. He didn't make it as fun and challenging. He was so weak and pathetic that Henry kind of put him off-limits in his head for a lot of his cruelest desires.

Some of the other kids in this one's friend-group got really mad... sure as hell didn't know how or when to just shut up and let Henry have his way. Those ones kept bullying them entertaining by always providing an interesting response to it. Henry hadn't really gotten much of a response out of this little one yet, and he kind of wanted to see what the kid would do if completely cornered, completely terrified - of something real for once.

Henry Bowers had observed the dynamics of this weird collection of social-misfits. The one on the floor in front of him now, with his hands, ankles, and mouth taped up - Eddie - more often than not just looked down and stayed the hell out of his way. Henry could appreciate that - Eddie didn't ever try to challenge him, talk back, defend himself or others. Even when Henry and his friends beat up the other kids in his group, Eddie would often just nervously watch from the side. Henry could see in the tiny boy's eyes that he was terrified, angry, and sad when they harassed his friends... but he'd usually wait until Henry and his gang left before running to his friends' aide. He was scared, cowardly, and pathetic, and Henry allowed it to work out for him a lot of the time.

Eddie wasn't going to get off so easy today though. He'd been given a break for long enough. Being a quiet little mouse worked for a while - not anymore. It was finally his turn to experience some real pain for once.

As he stared down at Eddie, who stared silently back, Henry could see the younger boy was trying hard not to cry. He was also trying to be subtle as he leaned away from Patrick's creepy, groping hands.

Patrick had been acting like a complete fucking perv lately. Henry didn't know if his friend had just now discovered sexual organs or what, but he had been grossly obsessed with sex these past couple months, even going so far as to suggest one day that he and Henry could practice hand-jobs on each other... As if Henry was ever going to fucking need to know how to do a hand job! Henry had laughed it off, but he would be lying if he said he weren't kind of taken aback and even maybe nauseated by it.

Now Patrick was on the floor with their little captive, rubbing up and down on the boy's arm as Eddie leaned slightly away and looked legitimately sickened by the gesture.

Henry smirked. None of his gang had ever really threatened these younger kids with anything like that before. Although Henry wouldn't ever actually do it, he did think it was worth throwing into the mix as a threat. It was funny watching Eddie squirm, watching his huge eyes fill with dread as he had to sit there and wonder if Patrick was going to get a chance to abuse him like that.

Narrowing his eyes, Henry stared at the boy. It might be funny just to slowly work toward getting him to cry... He was definitely close to that point already. He'd gotten a little teary earlier, but not a full-on sobbing breakdown... Henry kind of just wanted to make him cry more than anything right now - see how easily he could do it... see how much pain the kid could put up with - maybe even see if he could get him to cry without hurting him at all.

But he did want to hurt him... Henry had a lot of rage to get out, and this little prick deserved to feel real pain for once. This kid, who probably never felt actual pain a day in his life was finally going to get a taste of what Henry had to deal with every damn day.

Eddie looked like the perfect little boy walking down the sidewalk with his clothes all clean and his hair neatly combed. He'd obviously showered recently, he wore short little shorts and almost blindingly white socks pulled up his shins like a little boy, his shirt was unwrinkled, unstained... and it was fucking pink... he just looked so taken care of, so sheltered - yet he was all alone, out in the big, bad, dangerous world... like someone had accidentally misplaced him when they were supposed to be babysitting. He just looked out of place walking all alone down that sidewalk where anyone could drive up and steal him. He looked so little and vulnerable.

It would have been easy for Henry to just leave him there - it would have been the moral thing to do - to let the poor kid exist unharmed in the world... But no one had done Henry that favor - and what, just because he wasn't tiny and cute he deserved the world to fuck him over constantly? Eddie didn't deserve a break just because the world perceived him as something precious, something to be guarded and protected... Henry just really, really wanted to beat the shit out of him... to watch him bleed, to hear him cry.

When he saw him walking down the sidewalk, visions flashed through his mind of this kid on the ground, wheezing, whimpering in pain and fear, choking and sobbing. Henry wanted to make that happen. This kid got off too easy, too often. He was going to fucking suffer today.

The only reason Henry and Patrick were out driving around this morning was because Henry's dad had been such a bastard from the second the man woke up that Henry had to leave the house to keep himself from getting into a fist-fight with the man. He and Patrick drove around town until shortly after he knew his dad would have been off to work, and they were actually returning home when they spotted Eddie.

It was Henry's idea to stop the kid - to have a little fun with him. Then as they drove up closer, Patrick had suggested that they take him - like kidnap him. Henry had agreed that it would be funny, and now here they were. They could do whatever they wanted to him now.

"What do you wanna do with him?" Patrick shrugged, rubbing his hands up and down Eddie's arms before pulling him up to his feet.

Fear and dread filled the boy's eyes as he stared up at Henry. He was fully-standing, yet only reached about half-way up Patrick's chest. He was so god damned small, quite possibly the tiniest thirteen year old Henry had ever seen.

Henry smirked as he reached down and grabbed the boy's jaw in his hand, forcing Eddie to look up at him. "I don't know... We have all day... No one's gonna hear anything down here. We can do whatever we want..." Henry spoke in a low voice, trying very deliberately to frighten the younger boy.

"Yeah..." Patrick breathed, leaning down so he was closer to eye-level with their captive. "Whatever we want..." He grinned.

Eddie shrunk down slightly. He couldn't speak up in his own defense... Henry wasn't sure if he should remove the tape or not. It might be funny to watch him beg... But then, Eddie looked a lot more scared with his mouth taped shut - it took away his very last defense. He could do nothing to protect himself, not even plead for his life.

Henry roughly grabbed Eddie out of Patrick's grip, dragging him a few paces away as the boy stumbled and whimpered. His feet were bound, so he couldn't exactly walk on his own, but he did reach up his bound hands to grip at Henry's arm, clearly trying to maintain some level of control here.

Henry frowned and shoved him back, hard. "Don't fucking grab my arm." He growled.

Eddie let out a pained wince as he landed against the floor, unable to fully catch himself before hitting his back and the back of his head against the ground. He blinked dizzily a few times before exhaling a shaking breath through his nose and crawling backward, until Patrick grabbed him and hauled him back up.

Patrick pulled the boy up against himself and held him there with his hand pressed across the younger boy's chest. "His little heart's just pounding, man." Patrick laughed, moving his other hand up to cover Eddie's mouth, over the tape. "He's so fucking scared." Patrick sounded extremely excited, which Henry could certainly relate to at the moment.

Eddie let out a small noise as he shook his head, trying to get the older boy's hand off of his face. That clearly pissed off Patrick though, who pulled him back tighter, moving his hand further up, covering Eddie's nose too. Henry could barely even see the boy's face anymore.

"I could smother him like a fucking baby." Patrick noted in a breathy whisper. "It'd be easy."

Eddie let out a panicked whimper as he struggled under the older boy's hand. It was clear he couldn't breathe - and that he was terrified by it. Patrick really could kill him - and actually might have if Henry weren't there to suggest that he not do so.

Henry narrowed his eyes as he continued silently watching his friend as Patrick pulled the boy close against his chest, holding him tighter and tighter as Eddie reached up with his taped hands and tried to pull the hand off of his face. The kid was struggling more and more with each passing second, clearly really starting to panic. He probably could barely breathe - if he could even breathe at all. Henry kind of wondered what Patrick would do if he just stood back and waited. He wondered if his friend would actually smother the kid to death... But he didn't want that. He hadn't had his fun yet.

"Give him here, Patrick." Henry suggested, reaching out his hand until Patrick finally let go and shoved the boy roughly toward his friend. Henry caught him, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him back, then balling his other hand into a fist and punching him hard in the ribs.

Eddie let out a pained, shaking moan and doubled over, covering his stomach with his hands and choking out a small sob stifled by the tape covering his mouth.

Henry grabbed him by his shirt again, dragging him up. "Bet you wish you never set foot outside today, don't you, Girly Boy?" He growled, punching the boy again, but holding him up with his other hand so he couldn't fall back down.

Eddie shook his head and let out a muffled noise as he squeezed his eyes shut, still obviously trying not to cry - trying not to cry harder at least... Quiet tears were already rolling down his cheeks.

But Henry wanted him to cry. Henry wanted him to the point of breathless, pained, frantic sobs. He wanted to scare the hell out of this kid, inflict pain upon him... So he shoved Eddie back against the wall, really hard, so that he choked out a strangled breath and started sliding down the wall until Henry wouldn't let him go any further.

"You fuckin' scared?" Henry growled, holding Eddie against the wall with a fist gripping his shirt.

Eddie closed his eyes and shrunk down, but didn't answer.

Henry grimaced and shoved his arm across Eddie's throat, holding him firmly in place and cutting off his breathing in the same instant.

Eddie grabbed at Henry's arm, uselessly pulling, trying to move it so he could breathe again. Henry laughed, pressing his limb harder against the boy's throat. He wouldn't actually kill him, but Eddie didn't need to know that. Henry wanted the kid to fear for his life.

Henry held his arm steady for about thirty seconds before finally moving and letting Eddie gasp strained, very painful sounding breaths through his nose. Henry let him fall down against the floor, taking note of the shaking, muffled whimpers and the tears streaming down his cheeks. He felt a satisfied smirk on his lips as he knelt down in front of Eddie, grabbing his shirt and pulling him up, pushing the boy's back against the wall and staring at him.

"I can do much worse than that." He threatened. "And Patrick can too... So make sure you listen and do what we fuckin' say. Alright?"

Eddie shrunk down, looking away as tears streamed down his cheeks and he sniffed back more sobs.

"Alright?" Henry growled, shoving Eddie's back harshly against the wall.

Eddie shakily nodded, but still wouldn't look at him.

"Good enough." Henry laughed. This kid was so pathetic.

"Awww..." Patrick mocked, squatting down next to Eddie and putting his arm around the younger boy's shoulders. "Bet you wish your mommy was here to dry those tears, little baby."

Eddie choked out another pitiful sob and shook his head, clearly trying to shrink away from the older boy, but Patrick wouldn't let him.

Henry stood up, leaving Eddie on the floor with Patrick. "I'm gonna go take a piss and get a drink. You want anything?" He asked his friend.

"Nah. I'm good." Patrick smirked toward Eddie as Henry turned and exited up the stairs.

**xxxxxx**


	3. Chapter 3

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**Chapter 3**

**xxxxxx**

Eddie breathed quick, strained breaths through his nose as he stared at Patrick, who knelt down in front of him. He wished there wasn't tape on his mouth... because he really could have used his inhaler right about now. Of course, he could move his bound hands up and take the tape off - but not with Patrick here. He'd probably just end up being hit, and of course if he tried to take his inhaler out of his fanny pack, Patrick would steal it.

Patrick was still being scarily silent as he stared at Eddie. He wasn't saying anything... Didn't seem angry like Henry did... He was just quietly watching, obviously thinking about doing something, but not yet making it clear what that something might be.

In a lot of ways, Patrick was even scarier than Henry. He wasn't as overtly violent and angry, but he just seemed detached, emotionless... Like he didn't necessarily want to inflict pain on people, but he didn't care at all if others did. He was indifferent to the suffering of others. That was even scarier than Bowers. At least Bowers had emotions. At least there was a slim chance of appealing to Henry's humanity. Patrick hardly seemed human at all. He probably wouldn't react - might even be amused to see someone hurt.

"You and your friends ever do sex stuff?" Patrick suddenly asked as he ran his hands up Eddie's legs, letting them stop at his thighs, pushing slightly up under Eddie's shorts as he stared into the younger boy's eyes.

Eddie let out a soft whimper and tried to pull his legs away as he shook his head. This is not what he expected Patrick to do... and while it wasn't scary in the painful way, in another way, it was a lot more horrifying than being punched or kicked.

"You do, don't you?" Patrick frowned, narrowing his eyes as he rubbed his thumbs up and down lightly over the insides of Eddies thighs. "You and all those boys and that girl... You're all young, soft, moderately attractive... I mean, at least half of you are somewhat decent looking I guess. Doesn't matter so much in the end anyway... And you're all so close. I never seen a group of friends that close. You have to have experimented... I figure the girl would be everybody's go-to for stuff like that... But surely she doesn't want to be everybody's mattress... I'm sure she gets tired of it after a while. And you're almost more feminine than she is." He smirked.

Eddie's lips trembled under the tape as fresh tears stung at his eyes. He shook his head and moved his bound hands up in defense, weakly pushing them against Patrick's chest.

"Boys like girls because they're soft, pretty, clean..." Patrick went on. "I'd say that describes you too. So... which ones of your friends do you let do stuff to you? How far do you guys take it?"

Eddie shook his head again. His friends didn't do that. They were thirteen. They were friends, not lovers... He was pretty sure a few of them had a crush on Beverly... but he didn't even count himself among those few. He had to admit he was curious about her... When he and his friends went swimming, they all just swam in their underwear and thought nothing of it, because they all had the same parts. When Beverly joined them, he couldn't help but to be curious. He hadn't ever been close friends with a girl. So when she was among them, all of them swimming in just their underwear, of course he snuck a few glances in her direction, wondering what it'd be like to have boobs, to see boobs... Wondering what she'd look like naked, since he knew she'd look different than himself. It wasn't sexual... It was curiosity.

Even those of his friends who did have a real crush on her probably didn't want to do actual sex stuff... Maybe kissing at the very most. They were kids. They all felt like kids. None of Eddie's group of friends were in a hurry to grow up and do adult-stuff like that.

"The four-eyed one seems to really like you." Patrick went on. "You let him give you hand jobs?" Patrick ran his hand up between Eddie's legs.

Eddie breathed in a sharp breath and flinched back, drawing his knees up toward his chest to force Patrick's hand away.

"I'll bet you just do light stuff like that. Hand jobs..." Patrick grabbed Eddie's legs near his knees and forced them back against the ground, climbing on top of him and holding him down with his own body-weight. "But there's so much stuff boys can do with each other... Maybe you're not aware of it. Maybe you are."

With a shaking sob, Eddie shook his head, trying to speak past the tape, but failing. He wanted to beg Patrick to get off of him, to stop talking about this, to please leave him alone and not touch him. But he couldn't. He could only cry and weakly, uselessly shove at the older boy's chest.

"I've been thinking - at least three of you guys seem like you're probably fags." Patrick whispered, leaning in close as he ran his hand up between Eddie's legs again, grabbing and squeezing.

Eddie flinched and made a muffled noise under the tape as he squeezed his eyes shut. Patrick's touch didn't quite hurt, but it felt wrong. Eddie knew no one was supposed to be touching him there - not without asking... And maybe not even with asking. He was so young. He didn't need to be doing things like this - not even if he wanted to.

"You, the four-eyed kid, and the Jew..." Patrick went on. "There's no way a girl would ever even look at any of you three that way, and like I said... You're all such good friends... So I doubt you've all kept your hands off each other." He moved his hand slowly between Eddie's legs rubbing and squeezing as Eddie shook his head and cried out muffled, shaking sobs.

"I don't think the black kid or the fat kid are gay. Couldn't say for sure on the stuttering kid. He's fuckin' retarded at the very least, so no one's gonna want to fuck him. Not unless he grows out of that stutter." Patrick laughed.

Eddie felt his breaths growing more and more quick, but shallow. He needed his inhaler. He was in full-panic mode, and what little air he was getting didn't seem like it was staying in his lungs long enough. He tried to thrash under Patrick's legs, which pinned down his thighs so hard he just knew they'd be covered in bruises later. He grabbed his bound hands down at the older boy's hand, trying to stop him from groping between his legs. Patrick was just too strong.

"Do you masturbate?" Patrick went on. "You're in like middle school, right?" He narrowed his eyes as he stared down at Eddie, still rubbing his hand awkwardly between the younger boy's legs, over his shorts, but still way too close. "You look so fucking young..." He noted.

Eddie shook his head as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Looking young isn't the same as being young though, right?" Patrick laughed. "You're thirteen just like the rest of them. Even if you do look like a little kid... You being so tiny probably just means they're in more control than you are... You probably suck their dicks - not the other way around. I could suck yours..." He added with a shrug.

Eddie quickly shook his head, grabbing with his taped hands back at Patrick's arm, trying to shove him back.

"You don't want your dick sucked?" Patrick frowned, as though honestly surprised by that, but finally stopped groping between the younger boy's legs and leaned slightly back as he looked down at Eddie. "It feels good, but okay... So you are the submissive one in your group... Like I thought. That's fine."

Eddie swallowed nervously as he stared back, wondering what Patrick was going to do next.

"You can do both, you know. I do." Patrick shrugged. "I think a lot of people prefer one or the other, but that hardly seems fair." He laughed. "I'll jerk you off if you return the favor." He offered, reaching out toward Eddie's hands.

Yanking his hands back, Eddie quickly shook his head no. Patrick was being so calm as he suggested all this. What the hell was wrong with him? Was he just trying to be scary, just trying to make Eddie uncomfortable?

"Anyway... I'm gonna need you to try to relax." Patrick breathed, grabbing Eddie under his arm pits and shoving him back against the floor.

Eddie stared with wide eyes as he tried to sit back up, but Patrick pressed his hand against the smaller boy's chest, keeping him down. Eddie wished he could speak, to ask the older boy what he was doing... to plead with him to just let him back up and leave him alone.

"Just stay calm and relax." Patrick said again, grabbing Eddie's shoulders and flipping him over onto his stomach.

Eddie breathed out a shaking breath through his nose as he turned his head to the side and struggled to move his bound hands out from under his chest and up under his chin. He tried to look over his shoulder at Patrick, whose hand pressed firmly against his back, holding him down.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest as his breaths remained quick and frantic. He was so scared... He didn't understand what was happening. Was Patrick going to kill him? Like shoot him or stab him? Did he turn him over so he didn't have to see his face while he did it? Eddie had heard of that - of murderers not wanting to look their victims in the eye when they did the deed... Somehow he didn't believe Patrick would care about that though. He'd likely be the type who did want to watch his victim suffer... So what was he going to do?

It wasn't until he felt Patrick's fingers grabbing at the waistband of his shorts that Eddie finally connected the dots. He felt stupid for not realizing it sooner, but mostly all he felt was terror. Of course that was what the older boy was thinking. He had all but said it just seconds ago.

Eddie shook his head as he thrashed under Patrick's hands, desperately trying to weasel his way out from under the larger boy. He tried to scream, but only a frantic, muffled noise made it past the tape. He couldn't let this happen... It was embarrassing, it was going to hurt horribly. Patrick was wrong about Eddie and his friends doing these types of things. They didn't... Eddie had never done anything sexual with anyone - nothing past a hug or a quick kiss... Even the kisses were so small and fast he was pretty sure they still only counted as friendship kisses.

"Shhh... Hold still." Patrick breathed, pulling Eddie's shorts and underwear down as far as his bound ankles allowed with one hand as he pressed his other hand painfully against the back of the younger boy's head.

Eddie sobbed as he pressed against the floor with his bound hands and thrashed his body as best as he could. The chill basement air almost felt like it stung against his exposed skin, if only because feeling air on that part of him when he was anywhere besides his own bedroom or a bathroom, by himself, felt so entirely wrong.

He tried to beg, tried to speak... but he couldn't. Not with the tape over his mouth. Henry had warned him not to remove the tape... But he had to. He couldn't just let this happen. He couldn't stay silent and allow Patrick to hurt him.

Eddie reached up with his bound hands and grabbed the tape, finally pulling it down and breathing in a deep, shaking breath as he felt Patrick's hand roughly groping and squeezing his exposed skin - a place that was supposed to be private. "Heeelllp!" Eddie screamed, his voice trembling with tears. "Help me!"

"Fuck." Patrick growled, reaching up and grabbing toward Eddie's face, pressing his hand hard over the younger boy's mouth. "God damn it..." He breathed. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I'll go slow."

Eddie continued thrashing, continued trying to scream, determined to make this as difficult as possible. If nothing else, if he couldn't stop Patrick from hurting him, he was at least not going to let him do so easily.

"Stop fighting or I'm gonna make sure it hurts." Patrick growled, clearly annoyed by Eddie's struggles. His hand remained over Eddie's mouth, pulling his head back to the point that Eddie's neck hurt, and Eddie could swear he heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down.

Whimpering softly, Eddie tried to twist his body under Patrick's weight. This couldn't be happening. Eddie couldn't live through this. He just couldn't. Of all the things he feared Bowers and his friend might do to him, he ad never considered this. He could barely breathe anymore between his panic and Patrick's bruising hand.

Eddie didn't know if he was relieved or more scared when he heard Henry's foot steps making their way down the basement stairs. He didn't know if Patrick would continue with his friend there or not - or maybe Bowers would join in and make this much worse. For a moment at least, Patrick paused.

"Patrick." Henry laughed. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Patrick growled angrily as he shoved Eddie hard against the ground so that the boy whimpered in pain. "Nothing." He huffed. "Little fucker took the tape off his mouth."

"So you pulled his pants down?" Henry laughed.

Eddie shook his head as tears pooled in his eyes again, but Patrick finally let go of him and stood up. Henry was quick to grab onto him, pulling him up off the ground and pushing him back against the wall.

"Please don't..." Eddie whimpered, grabbing his taped hands out toward Henry's hand, which gripped the front of his shirt in a tight fist. Eddie's shorts and underwear were still down around his ankles. He wanted to pull them back up, but he couldn't. Not with Henry pushing him so harshly against the wall. This was so fucking embarrassing.

"Don't take this fucking tape off again." Henry growled, pulling another strip of tape off the roll and pressing it over Eddie's mouth. "Come on, Patrick." Henry stood and made his way up the stairs and Patrick followed.

Eddie held his breath and bit back his tears until he was sure both of them were gone. When he finally heard the door close, he couldn't help but to break down into frantic sobs. As he cried, he reached down with shaking hands, pulling his underwear and shorts back up.

For a few minutes, Eddie could think of nothing else to do but cry. He couldn't think of how he might escape - whether he should try at all or just wait and hope Henry and Patrick didn't hurt him too badly before getting bored and letting him go.

He couldn't think of anything but his fear of what Patrick was about to do to him. He knew being taken to Henry's house was dangerous. He knew it opened up more possibilities of how they might hurt him now that they had more time, more privacy, more protection from anyone hearing or seeing anything... Yet somehow Eddie hadn't thought of that. He never considered that they might hurt him in that way.

He should have seen it coming... Patrick had been rubbing all over him in the car - he had taken his jacket off... He just figured the older boy was trying to scare him more than actually wanting something like that. He still didn't now if Patrick was trying to be cruel or if he really did want to do that... Whether it was for Patrick's enjoyment, for Eddie's humiliation and pain, or maybe a bit of both. He supposed it didn't really matter why Patrick was being a creep though - whether he genuinely wanted to hurt Eddie in a sexual way or just wanted to humiliate him - it was all the same to Eddie. Either way, it was terrifying, embarrassing, painful...

Choking out a tiny breath as tears streamed down his face, Eddie grabbed the waistband of his shorts, just wanting to reassure himself that it was where it should be. He couldn't believe Patrick did that - tried to do more... The older boy had actually grabbed him. It wasn't even just pulling his pants down to make fun of him. Patrick's hand was directly on Eddie's skin. Grabbing, squeezing... where Eddie's shorts should have been. He wouldn't even let one of his friends touch him there - not even to be funny.

Grabbing the waist of his shorts with both hands, Eddie curled himself up against the wall and continued to cry. No one was supposed to see or touch anything under his shorts. Of course, he knew people had - in gym class, in the locker room. In the bathroom at the urinal. People had accidentally seen stuff - Eddie had accidentally seen other boys too... But never on purpose. Never staring, grabbing, groping, rubbing... Patrick had looked for so long. His hand grabbed and squeezed... And that was just the start. Patrick had clearly wanted to do a hell of a lot more... And he was still here! In the house... He could still get what he wanted...

Eddie looked up toward the stairs. He was so glad they were both gone... But it wasn't going to last forever. He couldn't ignore the fact that Henry kind of just saved him though - whether on purpose or not, whether because he thought what Patrick was doing was wrong or not... Henry stopped Patrick from taking things further. If Bowers hadn't come down stairs when he did, Patrick would probably be down here still hurting Eddie - right now.

What if Henry hadn't come down when he did? Eddie sobbed, pulling himself into a tiny ball. Would Patrick really have done it? It certainly seemed so... And Eddie couldn't tell if Henry really cared that that was what Patrick was doing or not. He laughed when he saw Eddie's pants down. He didn't look shocked or disgusted. He just laughed. He casually suggested that Patrick leave him alone, but he didn't seem obviously bothered by what his friend was doing. Maybe just sort of surprised. Sort of confused.

Glancing up the stairs again, Eddie breathed in a shaky breath and cowered down. What if Patrick came back? What if he and Henry were upstairs talking about this right now? What if they were agreeing that it would be funny to hurt Eddie like that? What if they both came down next time to help each other hold him down and hurt him?

Eddie felt his lips trembling under the tape as he shrunk down and continued crying painful, breathless sobs. He could barely breathe... He was so scared. He didn't want the older boys to do that to him. That was perhaps the most terrifying thing he could imagine. At least when they just hit him or kicked him, it wasn't so personal...

After a few minutes of breathless sobbing, Eddie remembered his inhaler. He could barely breathe between the tape and his own tears... but if he just pulled the tape off like he did before and used his inhaler, he'd feel infinitely better. Still terrified and in pain, but at least he'd be able to breathe.

Eddie looked up the stairs toward the closed door. Henry warned him not to take the tape off... but Eddie could always put it back after, before Henry came back down. As long as he didn't scream, Henry wouldn't know Eddie had disobeyed him.

So he reached up with his bound hands and pulled the tape off his mouth, staring up the stairs as he breathed in panting gasps through his mouth.

Still staring up the stairs, half expecting Henry to somehow sense that Eddie had removed the tape, he reached down toward his fanny pack, unzipping it and taking his inhaler in his hands. Even just feeling it with his fingers put his mind at ease. Just knowing he still had it somehow made breathing easier. Even so, he reached up and allowed himself a puff of the medicine before placing it gently back into the fanny pack. With any luck, he wouldn't need it again... but luck didn't seem to be on his side at the moment.

Now that he was finally more calm, Eddie looked around the space, noticing a small window up near the ceiling. It was pretty high up... but maybe if he moved some things around, he'd be able to reach it. He could escape through it... But he needed his ankles and hands free first - his ankles at the very least.

Swallowing nervously, Eddie frowned up toward the closed door at the top of the stairs. Henry would be really angry if he caught him trying to escape... But it was really Eddie's only option. Unless he wanted to just wait and hope for his bullies to grow a conscience, he was going to have to get himself out of this.

So he reached down and started peeling the tape off his ankles. He couldn't afford to do as they said. He had to get out of here.

**xxxxxx**


	4. Chapter 4

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**Chapter 4**

**xxxxxx**

Henry frowned as he looked across the living room at Patrick, who sat in Henry's dad's chair watching a rerun of The Waltons on tv. He didn't seem at all embarrassed that Henry had just caught him trying to rape a thirteen year old kid... Of course, Henry didn't make it into a big deal. When he walked down there and saw what Patrick was doing, Henry laughed it off... He suggested that they sneak a couple of his dad's beers and watch tv, mostly to distract Patrick from his own sick mind. He didn't want to be the one to make it awkward... But it was pretty fucking awkward anyway.

Henry was just upstairs getting a drink when he heard the kid screaming. Hurting him was kind of the point... but Henry knew Patrick was a little more sadistic than normal, and he figured he should check in - make sure his friend wasn't causing any serious, permanent damage.

He wasn't sure why he was surprised at what he saw when he walked down the steps. Patrick had been being a weird creep for a while... Even so, he sort of expected to see his friend trying to break the kid's arm, cutting him with a knife, or burning him with a lighter. Henry left Patrick alone with him for like five minutes. That's all it took for Patrick's sick, twisted mind to decide to yank the kid's pants down and try to have sex with him.

It wasn't even light stuff either. Patrick was unzipping his pants - getting his dick out. The kid was face-down on the floor with his pants around his ankles. Patrick was fucking serious. He was like twenty seconds away from legitimately forcing his dick up the kid's ass. It made Henry want to puke just thinking about it.

Forcing a small smile, Henry nodded toward Patrick when the other boy glanced toward him. Then Henry forced himself to look over at the tv screen. He couldn't let Patrick know how much this bothered him. He didn't care about Eddie. In fact, he fucking hated Eddie... But he maybe hated child molesters more... What Patrick had been trying to do was really gross - and not just because it involved some pretty gay-looking shit.

Henry couldn't claim to care about doing the right thing most of the time. In fact, his moral compass was so skewed sometimes he wasn't even sure what was right and what was wrong anymore... But he knew what Patrick had been trying to do was wrong. Patrick didn't seem to know.

Patrick didn't even try to explain away what he was doing down there. He didn't get defensive or anything. He kind of just acted like the whole thing was normal. Besides a quick, half-hearted 'nothing,' he hadn't really commented on what he was doing. Henry didn't know if he should address it or not. Should he just come out and say 'by the way, let's not rape him though?' or just not mention it?

"Which one of the Walton kids would you fuck?" Patrick suddenly wondered, narrowing his eyes at the tv screen.

Henry frowned, scowling over toward Patrick. "One of the girls." He said flatly.

"Yeah... I probably would too." Patrick agreed.

"The older one. The one that's not a fucking kid." Henry glared.

Patrick looked back, his face betraying no emotion for a moment before a big smile spread on his face and he let out a loud laugh.

"You'd probably fuck one of the little boys." Henry noted.

Patrick shrugged, but didn't disagree.

Henry rolled his eyes and shook his head, picking up the remote and changing the channel. He felt like a pervert just being in the same room as Patrick, and kind of didn't want to entertain his friend's fucked up fantasies. He was probably thinking about raping all the characters on the screen - even the kids... Maybe especially the kids.

"So what are we gonna do with that kid downstairs?" Patrick asked, turning slightly in his chair so he faced Henry a bit more. "We kinda have him for as long as we want... I mean, within reason. Your basement isn't like a secret lair... We will have to get rid of him eventually."

Henry frowned as he looked over at his friend. 'Get rid of him' sounded a lot like killing him. Henry really didn't want to resort to that. That seemed really messy... Really risky. There was a chance it might happen, but Henry would really prefer to not have to go that direction if he didn't absolutely have to.

"So...?" Patrick shrugged. "What do you wanna do with him?"

Henry shrugged. "I don't know... We do kind of have as long as we want... So long as he doesn't get freaked out and scream or escape. I swear to god though, if he screams while my dad's here, I might really kill him." He was serious too... If his dad found out Eddie was down there, found out that Henry kidnapped him and was hurting him or fun... He'd fuckin' flip out - probably beat Henry to death.

"If you do have to kill him, let me play with him first." Patrick laughed.

Henry shook his head and rolled his eyes. He supposed that wouldn't hurt though... To let Patrick get all of the sick shit out of his system - let him play out his fantasies on someone who was gonna be dead anyway. He'd probably even fuck a corpse... Henry could give him the body to dispose of and let him have his fun. Of course, Henry didn't really think it would come to that. He wouldn't have to actually kill Eddie. They'd just have their fun and let him go when they got bored.

"We could go down there and kinda fuck around with him for a while. See if we can scare him. I mean, no shit, right? Of course we can scare him... But how much you wanna bet I could make him cry without even hurting him?" Henry smirked.

Patrick shrugged. "Without even touching him?" He asked.

"No, without hurting him. We could touch him - just not anything painful - like making him cry 'cuz he's pissin-his-pants scared and not because he's in pain." Henry clarified. "Like threaten him, put my hands around his neck - not even squeezing... Just making him think I might. I bet he'd cry."

Patrick nodded slowly, then looked over at Henry with a smirk. "I could make him cry just by touching him." He laughed.

Henry scoffed and rolled eyes. "Fuckin' gross, Patrick." Obviously Patrick could make him cry just by being a creepy bastard. He already did... Of course, when Henry walked downstairs, it did look like he had hurt Eddie too. He was crushing the poor kid down against the floor, holding him there as the boy cried out in pain.

"Why's that off limits?" Patrick frowned, leaning back in his chair.

Henry frowned. "I don't know." He shrugged. He wasn't sure why he drew the line there. It really was just another way to hurt and degrade someone - and it would be especially funny to do to someone like Eddie, someone who probably wouldn't even fully understand it - someone so young and innocent that the thought of sex had barely entered his mind yet.

Maybe that was exactly it though - that Eddie was so young, that he appeared so innocent... Henry didn't have a problem beating the kid up, scaring him, being pretty fucking cruel... but sex and kids just didn't mix. It just felt wrong - especially considering the intended target. It would be like spitting on a puppy... Just a little too much, even for someone like Henry who liked to see people in pain.

Henry shook his head, angry at himself to letting any sympathy for this kid sink into his brain. If the aim was to scare him until he cried, without hurting him, he really could just let Patrick do what he wanted - just the start of it... Obviously he couldn't let the older boy actually rape this kid - that would fall into the "hurt" category... But let him think he was going to? That would certainly do the trick.

Henry had another idea too though - his dad's spare gun. He kept one at the house, and Henry knew where it was. He could probably get Eddie to sob hysterically just but shoving the gun in his face, making him believe Henry might shoot him. The kid was scared of the air around him. Of course he'd be scared of a deadly weapon.

"Let's go down there and see what we can do, Pat." Henry suggested. "I'll get my dad's gun."

Patrick's eyes widened as an excited smirk spread across his face. "Are we gonna kill him?"

"What? Jesus Christ, Patrick... No. We're gonna scare him. Keep your dick in your pants too." Henry stared. "You can make him think you might do whatever gross shit's in your head, but don't actually do it. Not with me there. You're fucking disgusting."

Patrick shrugged. He really seemed pretty indifferent here - like there was barely a difference between killing Eddie or not killing him. Fortunately, Henry wasn't that fucked up. He couldn't deny that he was a very fucked up person. He sometimes scared himself when he realized how much he loved hurting people, and how much he probably shouldn't have felt that way... But he at least realized killing a kid would be a pretty big deal.

Henry led the way to his father's room, retrieving his gun and then making his way back toward the basement, opening the door and heading down the steps as Patrick followed him.

As soon as he was within view of the kid, Eddie sucked in a sharp breath and pressed his back against the wall, obviously trying to hide whatever it was he had been doing.

Henry smirked. It was obvious what Eddie was doing before they got here. The tape on his mouth was gone and the tape around his ankles was part-way unraveled. Henry wasn't surprised to see the boy had been working at removing the tape from his legs during the half hour or so that they'd left him down here. The fucking kid would have had to have been completely fucking stupid not to try to escape after all this...

Even so, it made him mad. He specifically told Eddie not to... and the boy had disobeyed. Obviously the smart thing for someone in Eddie's position to do would be to try to get the hell out of here - but Eddie was weak and cowardly - Henry was actually pretty surprised the kid had balls enough to try to get himself out of this. Henry had threatened him - told him not to - he honestly expected the kid would be too scared to even consider it. He was going to have to step up his game on the severity of his threats.

"Thought I told you to leave the fucking tape alone..." Henry growled as he walked up to the boy, letting his shadow completely cover him.

Eddie stared up with wide, dark eyes, shaking his head. "I wasn't... I didn't try to escape or anything..." He whispered, pulling his still-taped wrists and half-taped ankles close, making himself into a tiny little ball. "I just... I couldn't breathe with it over my mouth-"

"Do you breathe with your feet?" Henry glared, stepping forward and kneeling down in front of the boy.

"It was uncomfortable... M-my legs hurt... I..." The boy stammered.

Henry interrupted him with a laugh, taking his father's gun out from where he'd stuck it into the waistband of his pants and moving it slowly toward Eddie, pressing it up against the bottom of his chin. "I told you not to bother the tape." Henry whispered.

Eddie gasped, closing his eyes and shrinking away from the gun as much as he could. "I'm sorry... I won't do it again..." He whimpered softly. "Henry, please..." He whispered, is voice shaking with tears.

Henry grinned as he felt the boy trembling under him. His own heart pounded as adrenaline coursed through him. He had this kid's life in the palm of his hand. He could kill him right now if he wanted to.

Henry stared at Eddie's face as the boy finally opened his tear-filled eyes. He seemed like he really didn't know what to say at this point, and Henry was fine with that. He was okay just watching for a moment, feeling, listening...

He felt Eddie trembling as his breaths quickened. Those breaths were ragged, desperate, fearful... His eyes were huge, full of terror and tears. He finally let out a choked sob and closed his eyes, bringing his bound hands slowly, nervously up toward Henry's arms, seemingly making a purposeful point of non-threateningly grabbing his arms instead of the actual gun. He didn't know Henry didn't plan to actually shoot him. He was being slow and cautious, treating Henry like a dangerous lunatic.

"P-please, Henry..." Eddie breathed. "I won't try anything... I'll do whatever you want... Please don't shoot me..."

Henry smiled as he ran the gun down over Eddie's throat, stopping it at his chest, pointing it at his heart. "You'll do whatever I want?" Henry repeated.

Eddie swallowed nervously as he stared back. He looked like he wanted to throw up. Henry wondered if Eddie was thinking what Henry was thinking - that telling a crazy guy with an even crazier, sex-crazed friend that you'd do 'whatever he wants' wasn't such a great idea.

"I got something he can do." Patrick noted, running his hand down the front of pants and gripping himself with a grin.

Henry raised his eyebrow as he glanced at Patrick, then looked back down at their captive. "Well... There you go. You said you'd do anything." He reminded the kid with a smirk.

Eddie sniffed and shook his head, obviously guessing what Patrick was going to request. "Not that..." He whispered.

Henry nodded, narrowing his eyes as he ran the gun back up over Eddie's throat. "So you didn't mean it... You won't do anything. You'd rather die than do that." He noted.

Eddie shook his head, breathing out a shaking breath. "Please..." He whispered.

"Open your mouth." Henry growled as he pressed the end of the gun against Eddie's lips.

Eddie seemed to try to shrink further back, but he was already trapped by the wall. He kept his mouth shut tight and let out a muffled whimpering noise.

"Open your mouth." Henry said again, reaching his other hand up and grabbing Eddie's jaw. "It's this, or Patrick can butt-fuck you."

"Don't shoot me..." Eddie whispered, shaking his head as tears spilled from his eyes.

"Do what I say, and maybe I won't." Henry ordered. "Open your mouth. I'm not asking again. Do it, or I'll hold you down and let Patrick do whatever he wants. It'll be real fuckin' gross."

Eddie let out a shaking sob and squeezed his eyes shut, but opened his mouth slightly.

Henry smirked as he put his thumb on Eddie's lower-teeth and pried his mouth open further. All the while, the tiny boy sobbed, keeping his eyes shut. It really hadn't taken much to get him to cry... Henry seriously hadn't hurt him at all. He had been very purposefully careful.

Henry felt a degree of sick satisfaction as he watched the boy sob, with his mouth open, waiting for Henry to do whatever he wanted. Eddie could have closed his mouth - the human jaw was pretty strong, and Henry knew that. Eddie absolutely could have made this much more difficult... But he was too scared. He was going to just sit here and silently let Henry do whatever he wanted - just because he thought it meant Patrick wouldn't hurt him if he didn't.

With a breathless smile, Henry pressed the end of the gun into Eddie's mouth, not that far, but it was definitely there - so he couldn't close his mouth anymore. Eddie let out a small, muffled, choking noise, but didn't shrink away or open his eyes. The poor kid was shaking so much Henry could actually feel it in his own arm through the gun.

Laughing, Henry looked over at Patrick, who had a sort of weird look in his eyes as he stared down at the kid. Henry frowned, wondering what Patrick was thinking. He didn't even look amused as much as he looked in awe.

Eddie let out another choking noise as Henry pushed the gun further into his mouth. The boy flinched, like his body was automatically begging him to get himself away from the weapon, but he forced himself to remain still. His eyes were still closed as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"I could kill you, right here and now." Henry breathed, talking half to Eddie and half to himself. He really could do it. If he wanted to, he could kill this little prick with just a pull of the trigger. It would be so easy. So sickeningly and dangerously easy.

The boy let out a shaking whimper, but seemed to be trying desperately to hold still - probably scared a sudden movement would startle Henry into accidentally flinching or otherwise shooting him on impulse.

"Can I hold the gun?" Patrick suddenly asked.

Henry frowned. "No. It's my dad's... I'm the only one who holds it." He kind of meant that - that he didn't want Patrick taking it because he had to make sure it didn't get damaged... Henry's dad might fucking kill him with it if he found out about this... But mostly, Henry wasn't sure he trusted Patrick with the gun. His friend was kind of nuts in a way that was verging on scary even to Henry. The last thing he needed was for Patrick to freak out and kill this kid in his basement.

Patrick didn't seem too bothered by Henry's answer. His focus was still very much on Eddie as he took a step toward the boy.

"You like sucking on long, hard things?" Patrick breathed, grabbing the back of Eddie's head, gripping his hair in a hard fist and forcing more of the gun into the boy's mouth.

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut tighter as more and more tears spilled down his cheeks. He gagged around the metal in his mouth and let out another shaking, coughing noise.

Henry frowned over at Patrick, who looked way too excited during this. It was a different kind of excited than what Henry felt. He could tell.

"Suck on it, Pretty Boy." Patrick laughed, grabbing his hand over Henry's and sliding the gun rather roughly in and out of Eddie's mouth as the boy gagged. "This is good practice for you."

"Alright, that's enough." Henry cleared his throat and pulled the gun back, shoving Patrick against his arm and letting Eddie sink down to the ground. The boy was hysterically sobbing by this point. It was a good thing Henry's dad wasn't home and the neighbors had selective hearing loss.

"Give me the gun." Patrick demanded, reaching his hand out, but not taking his eyes off of Eddie.

Henry shook his head. "No."

Patrick was taking things too far, as usual. He was clearly getting off on watching Eddie choke on the gun, and Henry didn't like it. Henry wasn't a pervert. The things he did to this kid weren't supposed to be sexual. That's not why he was doing this. He was trying to scare Eddie into thinking he might get shot - not pretend like the gun was a fucking dick and get off on watching the poor kid choke on it.

"Come on, man..." Patrick exhaled. "I won't kill him."

Henry shook his head again.

"Can I make him suck my dick then?" Patrick asked. He barely even seemed ashamed to suggest it until Henry must have given him a look. "You don't have to watch." He added with a slight eye-roll, as though Henry was the one being weird here.

Eddie sobbed harder, pulling himself into a tiny ball and shrinking down into the corner of the room.

Henry hesitated. He had tried to tell himself earlier that he shouldn't care if Patrick did that... Eddie wasn't Henry's problem. He had no obligation to protect this kid in any way. The whole point of taking him and bringing him here was to do things to him that they shouldn't be doing... but it still made him feel weird. This was something he wouldn't be able to take back if he allowed it. Eddie was just a kid...

When Henry hadn't answered after a moment, Patrick seemed to take it upon himself to allow his fantasy. He reached down and grabbed at Eddie's arms, dragging him rather roughly up to his knees.

"No!" The boy sobbed, thrashing in Patrick's grip.

"Play nice or I'll cut your throat." Patrick threatened. "It's just like the gun - only easier... Longer though." He laughed, grabbing a fist of Eddie's hair to prevent him from moving and reaching down toward the zipper on his pants with his other hand. "My dick won't kill you when it goes off either, so it's less scary." He added.

"Patrick, fucking stop it." Henry scoffed, shoving his friend's shoulder.

"I won't hurt him." Patrick frowned. "It's my dick down his throat. It won't even leave a mark or anything. He'll be fine... You beat the shit out of him earlier. Why can't I do this?"

Henry shook his head. "No. Let go of him. We'll tape his ankles and mouth back and just take a break. You clearly fucking need one."

Eddie continued sobbing breathlessly as Patrick let go of him and let him sink back down to the ground.

Henry exhaled and shoved Eddie back against the wall, wordlessly wrapping even more duct tape than before around the boy's ankles, then putting an additional strip of tape over his mouth. He didn't want to say anything to comfort the kid. Eddie needed to know that Henry wasn't going to apologize for fucking anything...

But in this moment, he really did kind of want to tell Eddie he was sorry.

**xxxxxx**


	5. Chapter 5

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**Chapter 5**

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After Patrick and Henry finally left him alone, even with their additional threats, Eddie still knew he had to try to escape. If anything, their most-recent actions only cemented that thought in his head. If he didn't get out soon, he might not get out at all. They had a gun - and they weren't being careful with it at all. Patrick's constant threats of sexual assault were getting pretty old too. Eddie didn't want to leave Patrick any window of opportunity to do that to him.

He had to reclaim all of his previous progress on freeing himself - which took longer than before since Henry had taped his ankles much more securely this time. It also took him a lot longer than he'd hoped to finally get the tape off of his wrists. So long in fact that he almost just gave up and tried to escape with the tape still there... But he knew if he wanted his chances of success to be high, he needed to make sure he was as mobile as possible. If Henry somehow caught on that he was escaping and came after him, Eddie couldn't afford to have any more physical disadvantages than he already had just by being so much smaller than his opponents.

After maybe twenty minutes, Eddie finally got a good grip on a big piece of the tape with his mouth and pulled, finally starting to unravel it in a meaningful way. Slowly but surely, he unwound the full length of the tape - which was pretty long - and finally his hands were free.

With a shaking exhale and another glance up at the door, Eddie pulled himself up onto shaking legs and headed over to the window. He jumped up to try to reach it, but it was way too high. He figured it would be, but wanted to try for it before moving things around to climb on and risking being heard.

With a nervous swallow, Eddie looked around the room. There had to be something he could stack up over by the window so he could climb up. Something big enough to stand on to increase his height, but small enough that he could drag it over there without making a bunch of noise.

There was a washing machine... But it was pretty big, and he knew it would be noisy to drag it over to the window. Eddie looked around some more, spotting a small wooden shelf with several cardboard boxes stacked on it. If he moved the boxes, the shelf might not be too heavy, and it'd give him maybe a two and a half foot boost.

He moved over toward the shelf and slid the boxes off. The boxes themselves were actually pretty heavy. One was full of records, the other with what looked to be some sort of machine parts - like car or lawn mower pieces... he wasn't sure. After the boxes were moved, Eddie carefully pulled the shelf toward the window, trying to lift it and move it without making the dragging sound that might get him caught.

Pushing the shelf up against the wall, Eddie breathed out a shaking breath and glanced back up toward the door again. He heard no noises coming from upstairs. Maybe Henry and Patrick weren't even there. Maybe they left. Hopefully they weren't outside, watching the window, waiting for him to try to escape so they could be mad and use it as an excuse to hurt him more.

Eddie climbed up on the shelf and reached up toward the window. He could reach it now, but barely. He grabbed the ledge, trying to slide it open. It seemed like it was stuck... Maybe they didn't use this window. Maybe it didn't even open.

Eddie breathed out a shaking breath as his panic increased. The window wouldn't budge. Maybe it would be worthwhile to just break it open... anything to get the hell out of here... It would make noise, but maybe they wouldn't hear it. Maybe if he was fast enough, he could escape anyway.

He looked back at the door again and held his breath. Were those footsteps he heard? What if they were coming toward the basement? What if they were planning to come back down right now?

Eddie felt his breaths becoming quick. His chest felt cold. He was lightheaded. He had to get out. Now. He couldn't afford to wait. His eyes darted around the basement, looking for something he could break the window open with... The box of machine parts... Those were hard. That could break glass... But it was across the room. He had to be quick.

With a shaking breath, Eddie jumped down off the shelf, ran across the room and grabbed some sort of rusted piece of machinery out of the box, racing back toward the shelf, climbing up and slamming the piece of metal through the glass without a second thought.

He hissed in pain as both the metal object and his hand and arm with through the glass. He felt jagged glass side across his skin, cutting into his arm and palm, but he didn't care. He couldn't care yet. He had to escape.

Eddie let out a pained, fearful whimper as he drew his hand back and knocked the rest of the glass out with the piece of metal, being more careful this time so he didn't cut his hand again. He knew climbing out was going to hurt though. There were lots of little pieces of glass lying on the ledge now. There was no way he wasn't going to get hurt in the process of escape... But the alternative was worse. The alternative was Patrick holding him down and hurting him in a humiliatingly personal way... Or Henry Bowers punching and kicking him, then taping him back up so he could do it all again later. Eddie had to get out.

"Hey!" Henry's voice called out from behind him.

Eddie whimpered a shaking breath and grabbed out toward the window, ignoring the pain as bits of glass pressed against his palms.

"You little shit stain!" Henry growled, running down the steps and grabbing at Eddie's legs.

"No!" Eddie screamed as he was pulled back. Henry threw him to the floor, then climbed on top of him, pinning him down and drawing his fist back. "Please!" Eddie whimpered, shrinking down and covering his face with his arms.

He felt Henry grabbing at his arms, pinning them both against the ground above his head with one hard fist as he hit him across the face with his other.

Eddie whimpered and coughed as he felt blood tricking from his nose. "Stop!" He begged, squeezing his eyes shut as Henry grabbed at his throat.

Henry's grip tightened, cutting off Eddie's breaths as the younger boy pulled at his trapped arms and tried to thrash under the larger boy's weight. Henry was going to kill him... whether on purpose or not. Eddie couldn't breathe.

"Why the fuck would you do that!?" Henry growled, tightening his grip, squeezing Eddies throat painfully.

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut as he choked breathlessly. He tugged uselessly at his arms, which Henry gripped even harder with one large, bruising hand. Struggling to thrash his body under the larger boy, Eddie whimpered a pained, choked cry. Henry was going to kill him, right here and now... There was nothing he could do to prevent it.

After what felt like entire minutes, Henry finally loosened his grip, dragging Eddie up by his shirt and slamming him up against the wall. "If my dad sees that, he's gonna fuckin' kill me." Henry breathed, looking almost scared. "Why the fuck would you do that? That was so fucking stupid..." Henry growled.

Eddie breathed out shaking, gasping breaths as he stared back at the older boy. "Please let me go... I'll tell him I did it. I'll say I threw a rock through it..." His voice shook. "I'll say I was just walking by and decided to break the window. He won't be mad at you. He'll be mad at me. My mom can pay for it. She'll be mad... but at me. I'll-"

He was cut off when Henry hit him hard across the face again. "You shut the fuck up." He growled, grabbing Eddie by his shirt and slamming him back against the wall again, hard enough to knock what little breath he had left out of his lungs. "I fucking hate you. You know that?" He shook Eddie for emphasis.

Eddie shrunk down, choking out a pained, frighten sob.

"I almost felt bad for you earlier..." Henry muttered. "When I came down here and Patrick was being a fuckin' perv... I know what he was doing... You know what he was doing. I felt bad. You're a dumb, weak, worthless little rat, and I still felt fucking bad." He stared down at Eddie with a frown. "But I don't now. I should have let him do it."

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered a soft cry as he shook his head. "Please don't let him..."

"Why not? Why shouldn't I? I give you simple, basic fucking rules to follow... You break all of 'em... You break my dads god damned window." Henry scoffed. "So why should I go easy on you?"

"I'm just scared..." Eddie sobbed, wincing as he felt Henry shove him back so that he fell against the ground. "Please stop!" He sobbed, moving his arms up to cover his face, hoping Henry wouldn't hit him again.

Henry scowled as he shook his head. He grabbed up the roll of duct tape off the floor and started peeling some off.

"Henry, please don't!" Eddie sobbed, trying to crawl away while Henry's hands were busy with the tape. "I just wanna go home!"

"I don't care what you want. Hold still or I'll call Patrick down here and let him do whatever gross shit he was down here doing earlier." Henry threatened. "I'll just lock the door behind me and walk away. Let him have you for as long as he wants."

Eddie's lip trembled as his vision blurred with tears. "I wanna go home..." He whimpered again, forcing himself to hold still as Henry wrapped the tape around his ankles and then his wrists. "Please let me go..."

"You know what I should do?" Henry glared, shoving Eddie hard against his shoulder so that he fell back against the floor. "I should do something to hurt you really fucking bad... Something so cruel you won't even fucking believe it..."

Eddie choked out a frightened sob as he crawled backward toward the wall as much as he could with his legs and arms bound. He couldn't stop shaking as he kept his eyes on Henry, trying to guess what it was he might be planning on doing next.

Henry laughed and walked away, toward a tall shelf across the room. He pulled a cardboard box toward himself and started digging through it. "Here we go..." He murmured to himself, grabbing something out of the box and heading back toward Eddie.

Shaking his head, Eddie shrunk back, staring at the object in Henry's hand. It was a hammer... That would really, really hurt if the older boy hit him with it. That would break bones... maybe even enough to kill him if Henry was really mad - which he clearly was.

"What do you want me to do with it?" Henry stared, his eyes wide. He looked positively insane...

Eddie shook his head. "Please don't hit me..." He whimpered. "I'm sorry about the window..."

Henry laughed. "I won't hit you..." He knelt down, grabbing the front of Eddie's shirt and pulling him part way up off the floor, pushing him backward so that his back was against the wall. "You know what I could do with it though?"

Eddie breathed in slow, shaking breaths as he stared nervously back. He shook his head slightly, both answering the question - he didn't know what Henry could do with the hammer if he wasn't going to hit him with it - and silently begging the older boy not to do whatever it was he was thinking of doing.

Henry smirked and pressed the handle of the hammer across Eddie's throat, pinning him painfully against the wall as the younger boy gasped and brought his hands up to try to pry it off of his neck. Was Henry going to cut off his airway with it? Choke him to death?

"You remember what Patrick was trying to do to you when I left you guys alone for a few minutes earlier?" Henry breathed, pressing the hammer closer against Eddie's throat.

Eddie swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut. "Please-" He rasped. "Y-you're-" He choked painfully. He was trying to tell Henry that he was choking him. That he couldn't breathe... But being unable to breathe made him unable to really speak either.

"He was gonna rape you." Henry answered his own question. "You're weak and pathetic and he thought it'd be funny to just flat out rape you... Maybe because he's a fuckin' pervert, maybe because he just wanted to see how you'd react... I don't know... but that's what he was gonna do. It was pretty obvious. I think you were aware of that... Judging by all your desperate whining and crying like a little bitch. You were fucking scared. He had your pants down... Don't know if you saw it, but he was unzipping his pants too... I pretended like I didn't notice... but that's what he was doing. He was getting ready to rape you up the ass."

Eddie choked out a shaking sob as he grabbed his bound hands around the hammer's handle, trying to shove it back. He barely managed to move it, but did succeed in pushing it just far enough that he could just barely manage small breaths.

"Now... I fucking hate you, as I said... And I think you kind of deserve what Patrick was going to do. If he were right here next to me, maybe I'd let him go for it. You deserve it. You fucking deserve someone to ram something up your ass until you bleed. But I certainly don't want to stick my dick in you." Henry laughed. "So... I think this hammer's handle will fit. Might not go in smooth the first time, but it will after it's covered in your blood."

Shaking his head, Eddie stammered out a strained plea. "Don't..." He whispered, his eyes wide and his chest cold. "M-my mom can p-pay fo-for the wind-window..." His voice shook so badly he reminded himself of Bill. Henry was so mad... If he did this, it was going to be really painful. Devastating, humiliating and horribly painful. "Please..." Eddie whimpered breathlessly.

Henry laughed softly, still grinning like this was the most fun he'd ever had. "Nope. You fucked up. I was gonna give you a break... I stopped him from raping you up the ass. I wouldn't let him shove his dick down your throat when seeing you choke on my dad's gun gave him a boner. I fuckin' protected you like you fucking mattered, for some reason... Then you go and break my fucking window..."

"I'm sorry..." Eddie whispered between frantic, shaking breaths. "P-please don't hurt me, Henry... I'm sorry..."

The older boy simply shook his head and laughed, grabbing Eddie's shorts and viciously tugging them down.

"No!" Eddie screamed, reaching his bound hands down and grabbing at the waistband of his shorts.

"Stop fighting, you little fuck." Henry growled, wrestling Eddie fully to the ground and violently pulling his shorts further down.

"Stop!" Eddie sobbed. "Get off of me! Don't do this!" He begged. "Please!" He screamed.

"You shouldn't have broken my window." Henry growled, grabbing the younger boy's arm and roughly turning him over onto his stomach, pressing his knee hard against the back of Eddie's thigh to keep him from moving. He held one hand harshly against the back of Eddie's head and ran the hammer's handle teasingly down the length of the younger boy's spine.

"Please don't" Eddie sobbed, trying to crawl away. Henry held him down too firmly. He couldn't move.

"It's your own fucking fault." Henry growled, leaning more weight on him the more Eddie struggled.

"H-Henry, please..." Eddie gasped breathlessly as he pressed against the floor with his hands, trying to free himself. "I'm sorry... Henry, I'm s-sorry..." He sobbed, flinching and whimpering shakily when he felt the wooden handle of his attacker's weapon linger on his lower back, then slowly move down. "No! Henry, no! Please don't! Please!" He sobbed.

Eddie let out a pained scream as he felt something hard suddenly strike him violently against the back of his thigh. "Ow! Stop!" He begged, attempting and failing to shrink down.

Was Henry hitting him with the handle of the hammer? That's what it felt like... It was a less terrifying alternative to what he said he was going to do, but it still hurt. He hoped this at least meant he wasn't going to do the other thing... Maybe it was an empty threat. Maybe Henry just wanted to scare him... If that was the case, it had certainly fucking worked.

"Little prick!" Henry breathed, hitting Eddie against his thigh with the wooden handle again.

"Please stop!" Eddie cried in a shaking, breathless voice as Henry continued hitting him across his exposed skin. The wooden handle didn't deliver the potentially deadly blow that the metal part would have, and obviously Eddie would rather be hit than raped... But each time Henry swung down the blunt object, pain radiated through his leg, up into his back, through his entire being.

"You deserve this!" Henry growled, slamming the wooden handle against Eddie's leg again and again. "You deserve fucking worse, you god damned rat!" He panted, bringing the blunt weapon down again. Each time it hit him, it stung so horrible. Eddie couldn't even tell if he was bleeding from it. He just knew it was perhaps the worst pain he'd ever felt in his life.

Eddie pulled himself into a small ball and breathed in a deep, shaking breath as Henry let go of him and tossed the hammer across the floor. It made a loud clattering sound as it landed, then the basement was silent aside for Eddie's pained, shaking moans and soft cries, and Henry's angry breaths.

"Don't ever pull that shit again." Henry growled, grabbing Eddie's shorts and tugging them back up as Eddie choked out pained, shaking sobs. The older boy forced him out of his defensive ball, dragging him up off the floor and pressing his back harshly against the wall again.

Eddie couldn't even bring himself to speak. He was in so much pain. He was so heartbroken... He was also on a small level, very relieved that Henry didn't carry out his threat. No matter how much pain he was in, it could have been worse. The hammer's handle was way too big. It would have definitely caused quite a bit of damage if Henry did with it what he threatened to do.

"You're lucky I don't have Patrick come down here, you little fucking roach." Henry growled, pulling off one last piece of tape and pressing it roughly over Eddie's lips. "And you're lucky I'm not some sick, faggot perv, 'cuz if I was, I'd have done it. The only reason I didn't do it is because I'm not gay. You deserve it... I just don't want to be the one to do it to you... If you take this tape off one more fucking time..." The older boy trailed off, reaching into his pants pocket and grabbing out a small knife.

He pressed the cold blade of the knife against Eddie's throat as the smaller boy breathed in quick, frantic bursts though his nose, shrinking back against the wall as much as he could. He was in so much pain... He was still scared. Henry didn't carry out his threat, but he just made it very clear he might let Patrick do it... and what he had done instead had been really, really painful and degrading. And now the added threat of the knife made Eddie's heart practically beat out of his chest.

"Listen up... I'm not fucking kidding." Henry growled. "I'm done giving you second chances. You try any more of that shit, and I'll kill you." He pressed the knife harder against Eddie's skin to emphasize his point, then dragged it very slightly, eliciting a sharp wince from Eddie as he squeezed his eyes shut. It stung... Henry actually cut him... Not much... but he did cut him.

"When I come down here next, if you've taken off any of the tape... If you've even moved... I'll get you back in my car - in the trunk this time... Drive you out into the woods. I'll invite Patrick of course... I'll let him rape you as much wants to..." Henry threatened. "And that'll be a lot, because he's been a real fuckin' pervert lately."

Eddie let out a shaking sob as he shrunk down. Henry's knife was still pressed threateningly against his neck. He could feel a trickle of blood running down his throat and into the collar of his shirt. Blood ran from his nose too, over the tape and down over his chin.

"Then when Patrick's done jacking off your little dick and fuckin' you up the ass... If you don't die from internal bleeding... I'll stab you, not enough to kill you, but close... Then I'll take you down to the Barrens, and drown you in a puddle of mud and piss." Henry smirked evilly. "At the rate kids go missing around here... We could just throw you in the woods and you'd be forgotten within a week."

Finally, Henry moved his knife, shoving Eddie against his collar as he stood. "I'm not kidding... That was your last warning. You fuck with me again, and you're dead." With that, he turned and left.

**xxxxxx**


	6. Chapter 6

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**Chapter 6**

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"Did he try to escape?" Patrick wondered as Henry slammed the basement door behind him with an angry huff.

Henry shook his head and stomped over into the living room, throwing himself down onto the couch and exhaling loudly. "He broke the fucking window..." He answered. "The little prick actually broke the god damned window and tried to climb out of it."

"Jesus..." Patrick frowned.

"He won't be doing that again." Henry noted.

"Why. Did you kill him? Break his legs? I heard him screaming." Patrick stared with wide eyes and an excited smile.

Henry frowned as he looked back at his friend. It was a good thing he told Patrick to stay up here while Henry went downstairs to check on their prisoner... Henry was so mad just now, he probably would have told Patrick to do whatever he wanted and left... which Henry definitely would have regretted later. He couldn't believe he just threatened to rape this kid... He actually almost fucking did it.

"I didn't break his legs... And I definitely didn't kill him." Henry answered. "Just threatened him a lot... Cut his neck with a knife - just a little... And hit him with the handle of a hammer..."

Patrick smiled as he nodded, obviously approving of Henry's treatment of the boy. "So what's stopping him from trying to leave again though?" He wondered.

"Threats." Henry shrugged. "Hoping he realizes I'm serious."

"What'd you threaten to do?" Patrick's eyes lit up. "I can go threaten him with some stuff. Think he's pretty scared of me." Patrick laughed.

Henry stared across the room at his friend, noticing that he was feeling increasingly irritated by the other boy's excitement over this whole thing. He realized it didn't make sense - Henry wanted to take Eddie and abuse him as much as Patrick did... But Patrick was being a creep about it... and it seemed to be rubbing off on Henry in a way he didn't like. Henry still couldn't believe what he'd just done - what he almost did.

Did just having Patrick here make Henry into more of a sociopath? Henry would have never thought up that kind of threat on his own. He told Eddie he'd sexually assault him with the hammer because he saw how scared the kid was of Patrick. If Patrick hadn't been here in the fist place, that thought would have never entered Henry's mind. Patrick was being a creep, and unfortunately, it was making Henry feel like there were pretty much no limits to what they should and could do to their captive. He had to tone all of this down. He had to make sure Patrick did too. No matter how much Henry wanted to hurt Eddie, he didn't want to do it like that.

"Henry?" Patrick laughed, bringing Henry back out of his own head. "What did you threaten him with?" He asked again.

Shaking his head, Henry shrugged. "Nothing. Just threatened to kill him and stuff... Beat him up, stab him, drown him... Whatever. My dad's gonna be home soon, so you might want to head out."

Patrick frowned. "You mad about what I did before?" He asked, looking legitimately hurt and confused.

"My dad doesn't like you." Henry answered rather bluntly. "You know that."

"Yeah... But I can tell you're mad about what I did earlier. I wasn't gonna kill him or like really hurt him." Patrick pouted.

Henry exhaled tiredly and shrugged again. "I'm not mad... I just didn't like it." He frowned. "We can have our fun with him without being perverts."

Patrick shifted his weight from one foot to the other and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not a pervert." He glared.

"You're acting like one." Henry stared back. "I like shoving around annoying kids as much as anybody... I get it... He's got that little face and demeanor that just makes you wanna punch him... But he's still just a kid, and I don't feel comfortable doing sex shit to him. Let's just agree not to do that, okay?"

"Why?" Patrick frowned. "If beating him up isn't wrong, if kidnapping him and taping him up in the basement isn't wrong... If shoving a fucking gun in his mouth while he cries isn't wrong... Why's only what I wanna do wrong?"

"Because it's gross, Patrick. That other stuff is funny. Trying to rape little boys isn't funny. Its sick." Henry's voice rose as he was starting to get angry. A part of him realized Patrick was kind of right - that raping kids was indeed wrong, but so was beating the shit out of kids, kidnapping them, shoving guns in their faces... But Henry didn't want to be wrong. "This is my house, Patrick..." He continued, no longer feeling like defending his own actions.

"And I helped take him." Patrick's voice rose as well. "This is my thing as much as it is yours. I'm hurting him less than you are. I was just gonna make him give me a hand job. Or a blow job. Wouldn't even leave a fucking mark."

"You had his fucking pants down around his ankles." Henry stared.

Patrick shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Just go home. It's my house. You're not raping little boys in my house. Go do it in your own basement." Henry said, walking toward the front door and opening it. "Come back tomorrow if you want. After my dad leaves. But only if you stop being a pervert."

"Gettin' a little possessive are you?" Patrick shoved past Henry and headed toward the door. "Have fun with him, faggot."

Henry let out a small growling noise and shoved Patrick as he walked out, slamming the door roughly behind him. Patrick was the one acting like a fucking queer. Henry wasn't jealous or anything. He just didn't want his friend raping an actual child in his god damned basement.

Letting out a stressed breath, Henry stomped upstairs to his room. He didn't want to be downstairs when his dad got home.

Lying back in his bed, Henry stared up at the ceiling of his room. He felt really weird about what he'd threatened Eddie with. He didn't do it... but he was close - he at least acted like he might. He couldn't even tell if he was actually going to do it or not. Had he almost done it for real? He knew he said he would, he moved the hammer's handle down like he was going to... But was that all just to scare Eddie? He'd certainly scared himself.

It was almost like he wasn't even in control of himself at first. He saw red and just wanted to do the worst thing he could think of - whatever he knew Eddie would be the most scared of. It terrified Henry that he wasn't sure whether he was serious or not. He just started throwing out threats, grabbing the kid, yanking his pants down... Before he could even think about it, he was just doing it. As he hovered over the kid, holding him down, gripping the hammer in a tight fist, feeling himself shaking with anger and the boy shaking with fear, screaming, begging, crying... He sort of blinked back into his own mind and chose to hit him instead.

He felt like a gross bastard, even just for threatening it, for making Eddie think he'd really do that. Henry didn't really care what Eddie thought of him... He was just some random kid... But Henry didn't like people who did things like that to children. And whether Henry thought Eddie was an annoying little rat or not, the kid was still just a child. He was thirteen. Barely a teenager. Not even in high school. He was a kid... and Henry could admit to himself at least that he had taken his anger way too far in that moment. He shouldn't have told Eddie he would do that to him, much less actually start doing it.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Henry closed his eyes. He was so fucking mad at Eddie when he saw that broken window. If his dad saw it and found Eddie down there, he was gonna fucking kill Henry. Why didn't Eddie have the sense to just sit still and wait to be let go? What on earth possessed him to try to escape - to break a window in Henry's house? He knew Henry would be beyond pissed. The poor kid was lucky to be alive. Henry just barely kept himself from really, really hurting him. What an idiot...

Henry rolled over onto his side and stared at his closed door. His dad would be home any minute now. He wished his dad would just stay gone... but he'd probably leave soon after he got home anyway - to go to the bar. Henry wished he'd just skip home and go straight there.

Closing his eyes and exhaling, Henry listened to the faint sound of gravel crunching under tires, followed by a car door closing. He hoped Eddie had the sense to keep quiet... because if the kid chose to scream or try to escape right now, it was possible both he and Henry would end up dead before the end of the night.

Henry opened his eyes and stared up at his ceiling as he heard his dad's footsteps coming up the house's front stairs. Then the front door opened and closed and he heard footsteps in the house. He could tell his dad was walking toward the kitchen. Probably to get a beer. Great... That meant he wasn't leaving yet.

"Henry?" His dad's voice sounded kind of annoyed.

Blinking, Henry pulled himself into a sitting position and stared toward his closed door. Maybe he should just climb out his window and down the tree... So he could pretend like he hadn't been home to hear that... But then, if his dad started searching the house for him, he might end up looking in the basement.

If Bruce Bowers found the missing child he probably spent the day looking for in his own fucking basement... Henry didn't really want to know what would happen then. It wouldn't be anything good for his sake - even poor Eddie might be a casualty to Henry's dad's fear of judgement.

"Henry, you get your ass down here!" Henry's dad yelled, his voice sounding increasingly angry. "You know I don't like getting ignored!"

"Fuck." Henry breathed, forcing himself to stand and make his way downstairs. He hoped he could control himself better around his dad than he just did around Eddie. Sometimes he let his anger get the better of him, and before he knew it, he and his dad would be in an actual physical fight.

Dragging his feet, Henry made his way downstairs and toward the kitchen, stopping in the doorway and staring silently at his dad who stood near the open refrigerator.

"Anything you wanna tell me?" His dad stared with a raised eyebrow as he closed the refrigerator door.

Henry pressed his lips together and shook his head. That was a fucking loaded question and he knew it. If his dad had an issue with him, Henry sure as hell wasn't going to volunteer every one of his misdeeds. He didn't confess to shit unless confronted directly, and even then he lied most of the time.

"You been drinking?" Bruce growled.

Henry swallowed. Hadn't he and Patrick hidden those beer cans under the rest of the trash in the bin? They each only had one, and that was hours ago... His dad had eight beers left this morning. Surely he didn't miss two...

"I've been keeping track after last time." Bruce noted. "You think I'm fucking stupid? I bought twelve. I drank four. Why do I only have six left?"

Henry shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know..." He lied, angry with himself for sounding almost like a scared little kid. "Maybe you drank 'em and forgot."

His dad stared at him for a moment, before taking a quick step forward, grabbing the front of Henry's shirt. "Don't you fucking lie to me, boy." He growled.

Henry swallowed nervously, frowning and trying to keep himself from shaking. "Me and Patrick each had one..." He finally whispered, choosing for once to try the truth rather than lying until it spiraled out of control. His dad already knew... Lying was just going to make him more angry.

"You what?" The man growled, clearly growing impatient. "After I fucking told you to leave them alone? And you brought the Hockstetter kid here? You're giving alcohol to minors, in my fucking house... After I told you to keep him in particular away from here? You know he was a suspect in that arson, right? We didn't have enough evidence to charge him, but he was a suspect. I'm pretty sure he did it."

"He didn't do it..." Henry frowned, although he really wasn't so sure of that. Part of the reason Patrick wasn't charged with that arson was an alibi provided by Henry and Vic... and Neither Henry nor Vic were actually with him that night.

"That kid is a god damned wreck. I don't want him hanging out here. You need better friends. You're fucking embarrassing. You know that?" Bruce stared, still gripping Henry's shirt in a tight fist.

Henry felt tears stinging at his eyes as he stared back, swallowing and trying very hard not to let his dad's words get to him. "I made him go home... He was being a jerk and I told him to leave..." Henry whispered.

His dad exhaled and shook his head, releasing his grip on Henry's shirt and taking a step back. "I'm glad you're finally seeing what I saw ages ago. That kid is bad news... But the beer missing is still on you. You're gonna have to pay for 'em. And if I catch you doin' that again, you're gonna get punished."

Henry nodded, but remained silent. His dad was actually taking this rather well so far. Who knew just fessing up would de-escalate things so fast? He could barely even believe his dad wasn't beating the shit out of him right now.

"So you hear about the Kaspbrak kid?" Bruce asked as he took a few steps and started looking through the mail left on the counter. There must have been stuff there from weeks ago by now.

Henry shook his head. "Which one's that?" He asked.

"Evan Kaspbrak? Tiny little twelve year old whose mom thinks he's sick all the time. He's an itty bitty thing. Always showing up everywhere with broken bones and going to the ER for bullshit reasons every other day." Bruce looked up from the stack of mail and shook his head. "Well, he's missing. I think his mom finally snapped and killed him. She's gonna milk this for all the attention she can - the missing part - and then she'll probably call in an anonymous tip to the location of his poor little corpse once the attention dwindles. Then she'll get a fresh batch of sympathy."

Henry stared back at his dad, nodding carefully, pretending he didn't know anything about it. All of that information was wrong. His dad was a cop. He should have known more about this. He didn't even get the fucking kid's name or age right. And of course, it wasn't his mom who was responsible for his disappearance... It was Henry who took him.

"Poor kid doesn't have a chance in this world." Bruce went on. "His mom's batshit crazy. And if it's not her, it's gotta be some pedophile that has him. God... I'd hate to be him either way. There's some sick people out in the world. That's why you need to stop hanging out with those trash boys you're always with... Picking on younger kids, running around in the woods, inviting the worst one here... Those are the kids that are gonna grow up to kidnap little boys and kill 'em. If he's not dead already, poor kid's probably going through hell." He shook his head as though he was disappointed. Henry wondered if his dad would feel bad if he went missing. If he'd worry that some creep took him. If he'd care that Henry was gone, maybe hurt, maybe dead.

"God damn it." Bruce exhaled, shaking his head and throwing the stack of mail down back onto the counter.

Henry tensed and held his breath as he looked down at the envelopes, wondering what it was that had just annoyed his dad. He didn't really want to ask though... He kind of didn't want to know. Usually asking his dad what was wrong wasn't therapeutic for the man. It just made him more angry.

"This bill was due a week ago." Bruce stared, holding an envelope up.

Henry shrugged and shook his head. It wasn't his job to keep track of that. "What's it for?"

"Electricity." Bruce answered, still looking utterly pissed off. "You know, so you can sit on your ass drinking beer and watching tv all day while I'm at work? So the beer says cold and the tv works? That's electricity. You have to fucking pay for that."

Henry looked around the room. "Well, it looks like it's still working... Just pay it late."

"We've gotta pay a late fee now." His dad grumbled. "We'll end up paying more money. For nothing. We could'a paid it on time."

"Okay..." Henry shrugged. What was he supposed to do about it?

"You know what..." Bruce growled, stepping toward Henry again so that the boy held his breath and took a step back. "I'm getting fucking tired of this house being such a god damned mess that I can't even find anything. This bill should have been paid weeks ago."

"It's not my job." Henry stared, starting to feel himself getting mad. His dad screwed up. He didn't keep his bills organized, and he forgot to pay one. That wasn't Henry's fault. His dad never told him to keep track of bills. It had never, ever been Henry's responsibility. Bruce screwed up and wanted to blame someone other than himself.

"It is your job. It's your job to help keep the fucking house clean. I misplaced this because the counters look like fucking animals live here..." Bruce went on, his voice raising in volume.

"You don't clean either." Henry whispered, feeling his chest growing tight.

"What?" Bruce whispered back, raising his eyebrows as he shoved Henry back against the counter. "What'd you just say?"

Henry groaned as he felt his lower back hit the counter fairly hard, probably creating a bruise. "You don't clean either." Henry repeated, staring and frowning as he balled his hands into fists. He had to calm down. He wanted to hit his dad... His dad shoved him first, so it would only be fair. But he knew if he did that, his dad would hit him back even harder. Henry had to be the one to stay calm so this didn't spiral into something really violent.

"You live here for free. The least you can do while I'm at work is clean." Bruce continued. "But no, I come home and the house is a bigger fucking mess than when I left it. More mess, more dirty dishes." He picked up a glass off the counter and slammed it into the sink. "These don't go on the fucking counter. They're not going to wash themselves."

Henry swallowed as he stared into the sink. That glass was cracked now.

"All you do while I'm gone is steal my beer, sit on your ass watching tv, probably jack off up in your room like a sick little pervert..." Bruce went on, shoving Henry against his shoulder so that he hit the counter again.

Henry breathed in and out quick, short breaths. He was kind of scared... But also kind of mad. His dad needed to stop, or else Henry was going to say or do something to make this worse. Standing here silently, just letting his dad rant and rave was hard. It was the smart thing to do for his own safety, but it was hard.

"Fucking plates haven't been washed in a week." His dad pushed some near the sink on top of the glass he just broke, creating a loud crashing sound. Henry wondered if any of the plates were broken now too. "You use them more than I do. I'm barely ever even fucking here."

"I know you're never here." Henry breathed.

"Well, why would I want to be? This place is a disgusting mess!" He shouted, shoving more plates into the sink. "I can't keep up with this shit. I work all day. This is your god damned mess. You said it yourself. I'm never here, so the plates gotta be yours."

"Guess we won't have to wash 'em if you break 'em all while you're throwing a fit." Henry stared, regretting it as soon as he said it.

Bruce's eyes looked positively full of anger as he glared silently for a half second, then reached out and slapped his son hard across the face.

Henry brought his hands up to his cheek and held them there as his dad grabbed the front of his shirt again. "I wouldn't be throwing a fit if my son weren't a piece of trash, waste of fucking air. You don't contribute anything... Here, there... I can't think of a single positive thing you've done in your life. I wish I'd never met your mother." He let go, shoved Henry against his shoulder and headed toward the door. "I'm going out. Hope this pig sty is clean when I get back."

Henry stared through the beginning of tears and flinched as his dad slammed the door.

For a minute, he just stood there, staring at the closed door. His dad was such an asshole. Why did he think a messy kitchen was that big of a deal? He was half of the reason it was messy... And he didn't even complain about it until just now. It was always messy.

Henry closed his eyes and exhaled tiredly. At least his dad left - and he was probably going to be gone until late, probably drinking... That meant Henry had the house to himself - which was what he liked. His dad wasn't exactly father of the year, so Henry didn't miss the quality family time when Bruce was away.

He made his way out into the hall and stared at the closed door leading down to the basement. He was so glad his dad hadn't gone down there. Bruce would have probably killed him. Henry wasn't even sure that was an exaggeration. He could picture his dad's reaction - he'd be really fucking angry, he'd go down there, threaten Eddie - tell him if he talked he'd have to kill him, but then he wouldn't let him go right away... He'd go back upstairs, overthink everything, and come to the conclusion that the only way to keep himself out of jail would be to kill the kid and dispose of him.

Eddie was lucky Bruce didn't find him. It might not have seemed so to Eddie, but he was lucky it was just Henry here now. He was damn lucky Patrick had finally left too.

Now that Henry finally had everyone out of his house though, he could get to the real fun. He brought Eddie here for a reason - to have some fun with him. No more sex-threats... Henry didn't even really have to be that violent. Not anymore... He'd done that part. He scared the hell out of the kid already. Now he kind of just wanted to mess with him. Now that all the loose canons in his life were out of the way, Henry could finally be in charge for real.

**xxxxxx**


	7. Chapter 7

**xxxxxx**

**Chapter 7**

**xxxxxx**

Eddie didn't realize he had managed to fall asleep until he found himself awakening with a panicked breath to the sound of some sort of commotion upstairs. Someone was yelling... It was a man - an adult.

Eddie stared up with wide eyes as he listened to what sounded like someone moving around upstairs, someone yelling words he couldn't make out from down here, where a lot of the sound was drowned out. He couldn't tell what was being said, but he understood from the tone that the person was angry.

He flinched as he heard a loud thud, then a crashing sound. Were they throwing things? Fighting with each other? Something just got broken - maybe thrown, maybe bumped into and knocked over on accident...

He heard more screaming, followed by the loud sound of a door slamming closed. Then there was silence.

Eddie's heart pounded in his chest. He wasn't even involved in whatever that was, but it still made him anxious. It sounded violent, scary... He wondered if Henry's dad saw the broken window. If he did, Henry was going to be really mad at Eddie... But surely his dad would check on the window more closely - he'd find Eddie down here.

Swallowing nervously, Eddie stared up toward the broken window. The light coming through it was more dim now. The sun was going down. Eddie had been here all day... His mom had surely gone to the police already. Henry's dad was a cop... That meant he knew Eddie was considered a missing child. If he found him in his own house, maybe what Henry said was true - maybe he'd panic and help his son cover it all up. Eddie always had a bad feeling about Butch Bowers. He was a cop, but didn't seem like one to be trusted. He always made Eddie nervous when he saw him, like he was hiding something very bad about himself.

After a few minutes, when no one peeked into the window, Eddie felt himself become a bit less tense. He wanted to be found. He wanted someone to see him down here and do something... But what Henry had said before about his dad being willing to let Eddie get killed so as to not trash his family's name lingered in his mind. He knew Henry's dad wasn't the nicest man in town... He actually always kind of scared Eddie. He looked mean. Cold, and mean, and just generally someone who probably shouldn't have been allowed to be a police officer.

Eddie jumped and felt like his heart legitimately stopped when he heard the door to the basement open. The last thing he needed was for Henry's dad to get involved... to convince his son this was more than a childish prank and to encourage Henry to finish Eddie off and dispose of his body to keep their family's name out of the papers.

He held his breath as he heard the steps creaking under someone's feet. He could feel himself shaking, as he realized he feared Henry's father more than he feared Henry himself. And maybe he was wrong. Maybe Henry's dad would let him go. Maybe he'd arrest his son himself and be Eddie's savior... But maybe not. The last thing Henry needed right now was an angry authority figure encouraging him to kill his captive.

Eddie actually breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was just Henry coming down the stairs. He didn't know if he should have hoped it was his father after all, but just knowing what to expect from Henry, and not knowing what to expect from his dad made this the better option in his mind. For now at least. Henry was violent and cruel, but Eddie was pretty sure the older boy didn't want to kill him. He knew Eddie would keep quiet about this, because Eddie and his friends always kept quiet about the things the Bowers gang did to them. Henry's father might panic and not want a living witness to his son's misdeeds. Henry had specifically told him earlier that his dad would kill him and help Henry get rid of his body. Eddie didn't know if that was true or not. He didn't want to find out either.

"You didn't take the tape off." Henry smirked as he made his way down the stairs. Something in his face looked almost sad though, like maybe something his dad said or did legitimately hurt his feelings. He even had a hint of tears in his eyes maybe... Or maybe Eddie was just imagining it. "Good boy." He laughed as he walked over and grabbed Eddie by his arm, hauling him up off the floor.

Eddie's legs felt almost numb, and he couldn't really stand with his ankles taped together. Not in away that was balanced. He immediately wobbled on his shaking legs and stumbled forward, but Henry caught him by his arm with a laugh.

"I'll untape your legs... For a minute." Henry agreed, pulling his knife out of his pocket and letting Eddie fall back down to the floor with a pained wince.

Eddie couldn't help but to shake in fear as Henry brought his knife down toward his ankles. It was clear the older boy was cutting the tape off... but Eddie was still scared. What if Henry decided to do something cruel? He could... It wouldn't be far-fetched. It was a reasonable fear. The older boy had already cut Eddie's neck - only very slightly, but definitely on purpose.

Eddie couldn't forget how violent and threatening Henry had been the last time he was down here either. But that was when he was really mad - and he didn't seem so mad now. Eddie had listened to him, hadn't tried to escape... And the older boy seemed in a relatively good mood. Maybe playing nice and cooperating would work out of Eddie after all - for now at least.

A relieving sense of freedom filled Eddie's chest as soon as Henry cut the tape, but he couldn't let himself breathe just yet. He still wasn't sure what the older boy was doing - why he was letting him have use of his legs back.

He flinched and gasped, squeezing his eyes shut as Henry grabbed his arms and pulled him roughly up to his feet.

"Don't act like you're about to get fuckin' murdered. I'm taking you to piss, idiot." Henry laughed, slapping his hand against the back of Eddie's head.

Eddie breathed out through his nose as he stared back at Henry with wide eyes. He wished he could take the tape off - so he could breathe better... But he couldn't even attempt it. Not after the last time he did it and Henry threatened to kill him for it.

Henry dragged him roughly up the stairs by his arm, clearly not caring that Eddie's legs were stiff and half-numb from being bound and immobile for so long. Eddie would have tripped up the stairs and fallen if Henry wasn't holding him so tightly, but that didn't stop him from bruising his shins painfully a few times on the steps as he was dragged up them.

Eddie hadn't really seen the inside of the house when he was forced into the basement initially. He had been so panicked and frantic that he didn't allow himself a good look... But he saw it now. It was kind of a mess... There was dust everywhere - like no one had dusted, maybe ever... Dirty dishes were on tables and counters. A few articles of clothing lay flung over chairs or on the floor. Mail - both opened and unopened littered a table in the living room. A very full ash-tray was next to it.

Henry dragged him into the bathroom and shoved him toward the toilet, then turned slightly to the side.

Eddie glanced at him nervously, swallowing a dry gulp. He wasn't in the position to speak, but he really wanted to ask Henry if he could have at least a minute alone, with the door closed.

After a few seconds of Eddie staring, Henry turned back, glaring at him and shoving him against the shoulder. "Go, faggot, or I'll take you back down stairs and you can just piss on yourself."

Eddie breathed out a sharp breath as he stumbled slightly, but finally had to reserve himself to peeing even with Henry right there. At least he had the decency to turn around and not watch...

When he was done, he made his way over to the sink, washing his still-bound hands. The water running down between his fingers reminded him of how thirsty he was. Eddie swallowed and cleared his throat, looking down at the clear, cool water. He twisted his lips slightly under the tape. Would Henry hurt him if he took it off just long enough to take a drink? He couldn't exactly ask if it was okay - not until the tape would already be off.

"Your hands are clean enough." Henry growled, turning the water off and slapping Eddie's hands. "God damn." He rolled his eyes and shook his head, grabbing Eddie by his wrist and dragging him out of the room.

Eddie frowned as he looked back at the sink. He hadn't had anything to drink since this morning. He was so thirsty...

Rather than drag him back to the basement as he expected, Henry took Eddie down a different hallway. It was scary not knowing what the older boy's plan was... but surely if Henry was going to kill him, he wouldn't have let him go to the bathroom first.

"You're probably thirsty." Henry noted as he dragged the smaller boy along into a kitchen that looked even dirtier than the rest of the house.

Eddie felt his heartbeat quicken. He hoped Henry was going to offer him water. He hoped this wasn't some kind of cruel trick. It would be nice if he let him have something to eat too. Eddie was really regretting not taking Richie's mom's offer of pancakes right about now.

He frowned as he realized saying yes to the pancakes may have spared him from all of this. As far as he could see, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Henry pulled up. Just not having been there when they drove down that street would have very likely been all it would have taken to prevent any of this from happening.

"Don't scream." Henry warned as he reached up toward Eddie's face, grabbing the edge of the tape off of his cheek and pulling it off his mouth.

Eddie let out a small, shaking breath as soon as the tape was gone. "Thank you." He breathed, feeling kind of strange thanking the other boy when he was literally being held captive here against his will.

Henry laughed and opened the refrigerator, taking out a glass bottle with some sort of yellow-brownish liquid inside. Was that alcohol?

Shaking his head slightly and taking a step back, Eddie frowned. He didn't want that. He wanted water. Surely Henry wasn't going to expect him to drink that... He was really thirsty... and he was thirteen years old. Alcohol wasn't going to cut it.

"You ever try this before?" Henry held up the bottle with a smirk.

Eddie swallowed and shook his head. "I don't want it... Could I have water?" He whispered.

Henry narrowed his eyes, then grabbed a glass out of a drainer near the sink, pouring some of the liquid into it. "Drink all this. Then I'll fill the glass back up with water for you." Henry offered.

Eddie's shoulders slumped as he glanced down at the glass, then back up at Henry. He felt kind of sick just thinking about drinking alcohol. He had never had it before, but he knew it didn't taste good and it made people feel sick sometimes. He already felt pretty nauseated just from being both so thirsty and hungry, and from having been utterly terrified for hours.

"Drink it or you're going back into the basement without water." Henry glared.

Looking down at the glass, Eddie frowned. It didn't seem like that much... It was a fairly small glass and it wasn't even a quarter full. If Henry was telling the truth, he'd get a big drink of water right after. It wouldn't be so bad. Telling Henry no hadn't worked out for Eddie thus far, so maybe just quickly drinking it would be his best chance to get water without suffering too much for it.

Reluctantly, he took the glass in both hands, trying to ignore the excited, amused smirk on Henry's lips. Eddie lifted the glass, noticing just the smell kind of burned his nose. So he held his breath and tried to drink the whole glass in one swallow, immediately choking and sputtering as soon as the burning liquid hit his throat.

Eddie was vaguely aware of Henry laughing as he coughed and squeezed his eyes shut as tears rolled down his cheeks. The liquid was so bitter and awful, how he'd imagine drinking gasoline or bleach might taste. Eddie almost dropped the glass, but found Henry was taking it from him as he gasped and wheezed.

When Eddie finally opened his eyes, he noticed Henry finish off the glass of alcohol and refill it with water from the sink. Eddie held out his hands for it, only to flinch and whimper a shaking breath as Henry threw the water at him instead, drenching his face and the front of his shirt.

Eddie let out a choked breath as he shrunk down, feeling very much like he wanted to cry, but not letting himself. He watched as Henry poured more alcohol into the glass and then handed it back to him.

"You gotta actually drink it." Henry stared. "You choked all of it up, and didn't finish the glass anyway. Drink it. Then you can have water."

Eddie shivered as he reached his hands out for the glass again, blinking his tears back. He hoped Henry wasn't lying, because he was pretty sure drinking this was going to make him sick.

"Drink it, Girly Boy." Henry demanded, grabbing Eddie's hands and helping him move the glass back up toward his lips. Eddie closed his eyes and put all of is focus into not gagging or choking as he forced himself to drink it.

The smaller boy held his breath until the liquid was all down, then finally breathed out shakily, gasping in pained, dry breaths as tears rolled down his cheeks. He gasped and wheezed, unable to bring his breathing back under control. The alcohol was so strong, so painful. He felt dizzy, disoriented, nauseous. He was completely out of breath, and felt like the alcohol was preventing him from intaking a full breath.

Eddie was having such a hard time breathing that he didn't even notice Henry was actually up-keeping his end of this bargain until he felt the cool glass pressed back up to his lips and fresh water splashing into his mouth.

He grabbed desperately at the glass, tilting it further up and drinking all of it as his ears finally noticed Henry's laughter echoing all around him.

Even after he had his drink, and his throat wasn't dry, his mouth wasn't parched, Eddie still felt nauseated. He let himself sink to the floor, falling onto his knees and continuing to wheeze painfully.

Without even thinking about the possible repercussions, Eddie grasped down into his fanny pack, finding his inhaler and bringing it up toward his mouth.

But Henry noticed, and snatched it from his hand. "Awww... Can't breathe?" Henry mocked.

"Give it back!" Eddie whimpered, reaching for the inhaler as Henry jerked his hand up and out of the younger boy's reach.

"You're kidding... That was like one shot worth." Henry laughed. "You're telling me you're gonna choke to death and suffocate because you had to take one fucking little shot?"

"Please!" Eddie gasped, gripping at his own throat as he tried to even out his breaths. "I have asthma... I can't breathe..." He gasped.

Henry laughed. "I see that. You gotta calm down, kid. It's just whiskey."

Eddie choked out a fearful sob as he tried to calm his breaths, but simply couldn't. He whimpered and squeezed his eyes shut when he felt Henry kneeling down next to him, placing his hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

Opening his eyes, Eddie noticed that, surprisingly, Henry was pressing his inhaler against his lips. Eddie opened his mouth and breathed in as Henry pressed down and released some of the medicine. But Henry didn't stop there. He pressed it down a few more times, until Eddie started coughing, trying to turn his head. He was only supposed to do one puff at a time... Two if things were really, really bad. Henry had pressed it down at least four or five times already.

"Stop!" Eddie choked, trying to turn his head to the side as Bowers grabbed a fist full of his hair and shoved the inhaler painfully past his lips.

"What, you don't want more?" Henry laughed, forcing the inhaler back into Eddie's mouth again, pressing down the trigger two more times as Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and choked. "You seem to love this fuckin' thing so much. You're so overly dependent on it. Have another couple puffs, Wheezy. You'll be breathing real good after this."

The younger boy struggled under the hands of his captor, falling back against the kitchen floor as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to turn his head. "Stop!" He gasped, choking painfully as Henry forced more medicine from his inhaler down his throat.

Henry continued laughing, but finally stopped forcing the inhaler into the younger boy's mouth. He let Eddie look away, breathing quick, shallow breaths as his heart fluttered wildly in his chest. Eddie opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling once Henry finally stopped forcing the medicine on him. He felt his heart pounding quickly as he glanced over at the older boy and watched him take a few puffs of the inhaler as well.

Henry let out a breathless laugh as he kicked Eddies foot. "Just makes you kind of anxious doesn't it? How does this even help you?" He laughed, throwing the inhaler down so that it bounced off Eddie's chest and onto the floor.

Grasping with shaking hands toward the inhaler, Eddie took it and shoved it back into his fanny pack, fumbling with the zipper to close it. He might need it later - though he certainly wouldn't for a while. He'd had more than enough from the inhaler for now.

Eddie's chest was full of anxiety as he continued lying against the kitchen tiles. The medicine from his inhaler and the alcohol he'd choked down mixed together to make him feel entirely out of breath and dizzy. It was a different sort of out-of-breath than usual though. It wasn't that he couldn't breathe this time, but that perhaps he was breathing too much.

Eddie felt himself trembling as Henry reached down and easily picked him up, throwing him over his shoulder and carrying him back downstairs. The smaller boy couldn't even bring himself to struggle, nor did he think it would be wise to. The fact that Henry so easily hefted him up over his shoulder was proof enough that the older boy was much, much too strong for him.

When they got back downstairs, Henry somewhat carefully lowered Eddie down onto the basement floor, perhaps a little more gently than Eddie actually expected, sort of lowering him most of the way rather than just letting him fall.

"You're kinda funny. You know that?" Henry laughed, letting go of Eddie's arm and letting him collapse breathlessly against the floor.

Eddie breathed in and out, shakily, quickly, closing his eyes. His heart was still pounding. He hoped too much from his inhaler couldn't kill him.

"Kind of makes me wish I had a little brother." Henry went on, leaving Eddie on the floor and making his way back up the stairs.

Eddie opened his eyes and watched Henry go, flinching as he closed the door pretty hard.

As he lay on the ground, breathing in and out shaking, anxious breaths, and staring at the ceiling, Eddie couldn't help but to let his mind linger on Henry's last remark. Would Henry really have treated his own brother like this? Is that how the older boy saw all this horrific bullying? As something akin to sibling rivalry or harmless pranks?

Closing his eyes, Eddie focused only on breathing, trying to slow down his frantic breaths and pounding heart. He couldn't help but to bitterly note that Henry's nonexistent little brother dodged a fucking bullet never having been born into this nightmare.

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	8. Chapter 8

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**Chapter 8**

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At some point during the next hour or so, Eddie managed to fall asleep again. He felt like he was sleeping a lot during this ordeal, but maybe it was largely due to the tremendous stress he was under. He'd also been down in this basement all day - and he was tired from not sleeping enough the night before. The alcohol forced on him - though it wasn't much - mixed with too many puffs of his inhaler had him exhausted too. In fact, he wished he could have slept longer, but there was too much going on right now for that.

Eddie inhaled a sharp breath and flinched as he awoke to the sound of the basement door opening. His breaths and heart had calmed down - so the medicine and alcohol must have worn off... but now he was becoming panicked all over again. No one had come down those stairs yet without something terrifying happening afterwards.

"Fuck." Henry muttered to himself as he made his way down the stairs, seemingly almost tripping over one of the steps.

Eddie stared with wide eyes as Henry sat down silently in front of him, not too close, but closer than the younger boy would have preferred.

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Bowers seemed relatively calm at the moment, but somehow stressed too - like something was bothering him, but not in the way that made him want to be destructive and violent. Hopefully his mood was good - that seemed to factor a lot into whether or not Eddie was going to have to suffer while he was there.

Eddie vaguely felt himself shaking as he stared at the older boy. Their last interaction hadn't been as horrible as the one before it, but Eddie really couldn't guess what Henry might do to him next. He kind of seemed all over the place today - threatening his life and beating him, threatening to rape him, and then offering him alcohol, laughing, telling Eddie the younger boy made him wish he had a brother... Eddie really didn't know how to take any of that.

The older boy exhaled, rolled his eyes slightly and shook his head before staring back at Eddie with narrowed eyes. He looked like he was deep in thought, which was kind of scary. Hopefully he wasn't thinking about doing anything awful. He looked more contemplative than angry, but that didn't put Eddie's mind at ease any. Patrick had seemed that way too - and Eddie's last interaction with him had been horrible.

"Your mom's like an overbearing bitch, right?" Henry finally spoke up, feeling around in his pockets until he found a carton of cigarettes and a lighter. Eddie noticed his hands seemed a little uncoordinated and fumbley.

Eddie frowned, swallowing nervously as he contemplated asking Henry to please not smoke down here... Obviously the older boy wasn't going to give a damn, but being confined to a basement full of second-hand smoke was not going to be doing Eddie's asthma situation any favors.

"You ever think about just running away and risking it somewhere new?" Henry wondered, looking up with raised eyebrows as he put his cigarette between his teeth and lit up his lighter.

"I... um..." Eddie breathed, shaking his head. "I think maybe everyone thinks about it sometimes..." He whispered. Of course he'd thought about running away - every kid did - especially in Derry. But Eddie was afraid of his mom - afraid to be with her, afraid to be without her... He did think maybe she blew things out of proportion sometimes, but sometimes he worried that she might be right - he was small... he did have asthma... He did seem to get hurt easily if he wasn't careful, and obviously he was an easy target for anyone wanting to abuse someone else for their own amusement. He wasn't strong, he wasn't brave... He was more vulnerable to certain things than other kids his age.

This situation alone kind of proved her right. Eddie couldn't even walk down the sidewalk by himself without getting into serious danger... This wouldn't have happened to someone bigger, someone stronger. Probably wouldn't have happened to Richie... He'd have called Bowers and Patrick something rude and vulgar and ran off. Eddie tried to stay calm and unfortunately, that's what they needed from him. He reacted the way that ensured they'd be able to take him. His mom treated him like he was fragile and weak... and maybe he was.

"My life would be a lot better if I wasn't here." Henry suddenly noted, inhaling a long drag from is cigarette and then exhaling all of the smoke in Eddie's direction.

Eddie tried to hold his breath until the smoke settled, but it didn't look like that was going to happen anytime soon. The older boy took another drag and exhaled, still in Eddie's direction - probably on purpose.

Trying to keep his breaths minimal, Eddie stared up at his captor, finding it increasingly difficult to ignore the scratchy, tickling feeling in his throat and the stinging feeling in his eyes. Was Henry trying to confide in him? Was he just wanting a listening ear? Agreement? Advice?

"You don't have it so bad... Your mom's crazy, but at least she gives a damn if you live or die." Henry went on, blowing more smoke toward Eddie as the younger boy tried to subtly shrink down away from it.

Finally, Eddie couldn't go on ignoring the smoke. He wished he could hold his breaths, refrain from showing that it bothered him... He knew Henry would just be amused by it, but he couldn't help it. He let out a shaking cough, and once he had done so, he couldn't stop.

Henry smirked and let out a slight laugh as he watched Eddie cough, but turned his head to blow his next round of smoke off to the side. "Sometimes I wonder if it's my dad that's the problem or if it's me." He went on.

Eddie shook his head, coughing again as he tried to regain a steady pattern of breathing. "I th-" He tried, coughing again before he could manage to finish his thought. He felt tears in his eyes as he wheezed painfully.

"Use your inhaler. I won't fuck with you." Bowers offered, pressing the lit-end of his cigarette against the cement floor and putting it out.

Eddie stared back at the older boy, breathing in a painful, short breath as he nervously reached for his inhaler. He had very good reason not to trust Henry's word... but he was having a lot of trouble breathing.

"I just wonder if my dad would get so pissy about everything if I was anybody other than me." Henry went on with narrowed eyes as he calmly watched Eddie take a much-needed puff of his inhaler. "Certain people piss other people off, you know? People don't respond well to me."

Eddie swallowed. People didn't respond well to Henry because Henry was a violent psychopath... But he did wonder how the older boy used to be - when he was a tiny child. Henry couldn't have been born like this. No one grew up just wanting to hurt other people for fun unless something horrible went wrong along the way. What made him the way he was now?

"But it depends on the person... See, you kinda piss me off." Henry noted. "Just the way you are. And your little friends... You guys are small, mostly... naive, weak... Just makes me wanna beat the shit outta you. I piss off my dad. Don't know how exactly that started, what it was about me all those years ago that just made him mad. I wonder if he'd beat the shit outta you if you were his son."

"I don't know..." Eddie whispered, tucking his inhaler back into his fanny pack and shrinking down. "He should give you a chance... Y-you're his son... He's the adult."

Henry laughed. "I can't guess if he'd give you a break or not... Since you're small and you can barely even fuckin' manage to breathe half the time... He might pity you enough to just do the bare minimum to keep you in line... I think I help escalate shit. Don't know if that's something I was born with or something he accidentally taught me. You'd be submissive enough that he might actually like you."

Eddie stared, swallowing nervously as he noticed something angry in the older boy's eyes. Eddie hadn't even done anything... Henry was making himself mad just thinking about the possibility of his dad liking Eddie more than him. Henry's dad didn't even know Eddie... and he hopefully never would.

"I don't see why people like you should get a break though." Henry glared.

Eddie shook his head. "Maybe he'd hate me... Maybe he'd be really mean to me if I were his son..." He noted with a nervous laugh and a shrug.

Henry narrowed his eyes as he crawled toward Eddie, who shrunk back slightly against the wall. "He'd like you..." He noted, grabbing Eddie's neck in one of his hands and the front of his shirt in the other. "He'd scare the shit out of you... Probably only have to really hit you hard one time to get you to never disobey him again."

Shrinking down and swallowing a lump in this throat, Eddie winced. Henry's breath smelled very strongly of alcohol... That explained why he was telling Eddie all of this, why he was crawling around on the floor, spilling out the contents of his heart to a kid he completely fucking despised.

"Y-you're almost eighteen... You could actually leave for real soon..." Eddie whispered.

Henry let out a bitter laugh as he shoved Eddie rather painfully back against the wall. "Nah. I think I'm too far gone. I'm an angry, bitter, violent asshole. I know what I am... I can't go back from that."

"Yes you can." Eddie breathed, reaching up with his taped hands when he felt Henry's grip around his throat tighten slightly. "Henry, yes you can go back... If your dad doesn't like you, that's his problem. You can leave and have your own life... G-get married and have kids who you treat better than your dad treats you..."

Henry laughed and tightened his grip. "You of all people shouldn't suggest that I have kids." He breathed. "Just looking at your little fuckin' face makes me want to punch you." Henry growled, squeezing his hand even harder around Eddie's neck.

The younger boy gasped a frightened breath as he grabbed his fingers around Henry's arm. Henry was pretty close to actually choking him by this point... and there was no reason for it besides the fact that he was working himself up over his dad potentially not being as harsh with a non-existent younger son. For all Eddie or Henry knew, the older boy's dad would be even more violent toward someone like Eddie - if only because he knew he could - he'd know if Eddie fought back, it would hardly do any damage. Eddie wouldn't be surprised to learn Henry's dad might be fearful of his son on some level. Henry was really violent... He could hurt an adult just as easily as he could hurt a kid, probably.

"Weak little sheltered kids like you..." Henry shook his head angrily. "Man... You just piss me off... I gave you a break a lot of the time in the past. You know that? I skipped right over you and went for one of the more obnoxious ones..."

Eddie choked softly as Henry's grip tightened. Was Bowers being serious right now? He'd given Eddie a break? In what alternate universe was that?

"You're harmless. You're tiny, weak, obviously scared of us... You don't even try to pretend you aren't." Henry went on. "I was okay just letting you be most of the time. Kind of felt like an ass, really, picking on you like I do some of your friends... I give you the same pass I give the girl. But you deserve to be hurt as much as they do. Maybe more since the world keeps giving you a free pass just for being little... For looking like a fucking six year old your whole life." He growled, squeezing his hand even tighter around Eddie's neck as he pulled his other hand into a fist and slammed it painfully against Eddie's ribs.

Eddie would have let out a cry if he were able to breathe. Instead, he opened his mouth and only managed a tiny, strangled choking noise as tears streamed down his cheeks. His ribs hurt horribly, but his lungs burned even more. He couldn't breathe. His vision was growing grey at the edges.

Whimpering, Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and pulled desperately at Henry's arm. He couldn't breathe... Not even a little. He squirmed under Henry's weight, trying anything to get the older boy off of him. If Henry didn't let go soon, Eddie was going to pass out... Henry could actually kill him, whether intentionally or not.

"When I saw you walking by this morning, looking like a fuckin' kindergarten kid... With your hair all combed, your big wide eyes lookin around like you expect the air around you to attack you, your clothes clean and ironed... your tiny little shorts and your perfect white socks... I just wanted to hurt you... You're always so clean and protected. You're mommy's little baby... I see how your friends put themselves between you and us - even when we weren't gonna hurt you anyway. Everybody's always trying to keep their precious little Eddie safe..." Henry glared as he squeezed his hand even tighter and punched Eddie's stomach again.

"Maybe it's wrong. Maybe I'm an evil piece of shit... I saw you, and I just wanted you to fucking suffer. People care about kids like you. Cute, little, innocent, weak... Pathetic." The older boy shook his head as he stared bitterly. "Nobody gives a shit if I get hurt. Nobody fucking cares what happens to me." Henry growled, finally letting go of Eddie's neck just enough for him to breathe in a shaking breath, and out a pitiful cry.

Eddie couldn't even manage to formulate words as he sucked in shaking, painful breaths among terrified sobs. He barely even recognized the sound of his own pathetic cries, and he couldn't get himself to stop.

He was vaguely aware of Henry still holding onto him, leaning in semi-close. He could still smell the alcohol on the older boy's breath. But Henry's hand around Eddie's neck was no longer squeezing, so Eddie didn't care. He only cared that he could breathe again.

"I gotta get outta here..." Henry finally mumbled, letting go of Eddie's neck and shoving him rather roughly back as he stood up and wobbled slightly on his feet. "Or else I'm gonna accidentally kill you."

Eddie continued breathing shaking, breathless sobs as he let himself fall back against the wall. He felt his entire body shaking as he shrunk down as much as he could, hoping Henry really meant it - that he was really leaving.

"You might want to stop all that whining." Henry warned as he stared down at Eddie. "Remember - if the wrong person hears you... You're dead."

Eddie snapped his mouth shut and stared back, trying to be quiet even as his breaths were still frantic. His vision blurred with tears, and maybe also due to how close he'd just come to being choked into unconsciousness.

Henry exhaled a long breath, shaking his head and kicking Eddie's foot before turning pulling the cord to turn off the light, and heading back up the stairs. Eddie certainly hoped the older boy was sober when he came down next, because that had gone from calm to completely fucking horrifying within a matter of minutes.

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	9. Chapter 9

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**Chapter 9**

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Eddie didn't know how long he had been down here by himself since Henry left, but he could see that it was still dark by looking up and out the window he had broken earlier. Only the light from the moon illuminated the room.

Time seemed to move either really quickly or really slowly - depending on which Eddie wished it didn't do. When he wanted to be left alone, someone was always quick to come down and hurt him. When he wanted his bullies to finish whatever horror they were putting him through, it seemed to last forever. Somehow it had gotten dark already - Eddie had gone through an entire day here and yet he barely felt like he'd had any time to himself. Henry had to sleep at some point... Maybe that would be Eddie's chance to get out of here... Unless Patrick was patrolling the yard, keeping watch on the window.

Eddie stared up at the broken glass and swallowed nervously. He really wanted to leave... And he felt like an idiot not even trying. He'd been left alone several times - for quite a while some of the times... He could have escaped by now - assuming no one was watching the window. Not knowing that made the thought of an attempted escape terrify him. Henry was so mad the last time Eddie tried to leave... He threatened the younger boy's life, threatened to let his friend hurt him... Henry had even threatened to rape him himself - and maybe almost did it. It scared Eddie horribly not knowing how close Henry may have come to actually doing it. Did he ever intend on following through? Did he change his mind at the last second?

He shifted uncomfortably from his spot on the floor. He could feel that he kind of had to pee again already, so it had to have been a few hours at least since the last time Henry was down here. His stomach felt cold and empty too. He was really hungry.

Eddie felt his lips form into a pout as he dragged himself up off the floor. He wished he would have told Richie's mom yes when she asked him to stay for breakfast. Then he wouldn't be starving now. He wouldn't be here at all, probably. Eating pancakes would have taken time - meaning Eddie wouldn't have happened to be walking down the sidewalk when Bowers and Patrick drove by. Simply sitting down for twenty minutes and eating warm, delicious pancakes would have spared him from all of this.

Sniffing back tears, Eddie shrugged his shoulder up to clean his cheeks. He had wanted to stay anyway... He just didn't want his mom to be angry with him. He was probably never going to be allowed to leave the house again after this - assuming he survived it.

Upstairs, he heard raised voices again. Henry's dad must have come back home. Eddie wondered where he went. He assumed the first time he heard him, maybe he had come home from work, but he left again... Maybe he went out to drink at the bar. He'd heard rumors that Henry's dad was an alcoholic, and what he was hearing now sounded messy - like maybe the man was drunk, stumbling around, getting angry, slamming things around.

It kind of made him feel bad for Henry. How could he not find some empathy for him here? Even though Henry was entirely cruel and awful... Maybe he wouldn't have ended up that way if his dad were sober and kind. How could a child raised in an environment like this be expected to grow into a decent person?

Eddie gasped softly and flinched as he heard a loud thumping sound, followed by what he could swear was Henry screaming 'fuck you!' then another thump. Maybe his dad hit him... Maybe he hit his dad. The two of them yelled some more. More crashing sounds followed. It sounded so violent.

Swallowing nervously, Eddie stared up at the ceiling with huge, wide eyes. He could barely see, but he could hear commotion, footsteps, maybe a chair being roughly moved... somebody stumbling... then glass breaking, and Henry's dad yelling.

Eddie heard another loud thud, then a door slamming. Then, once again, eerie silence.

It took maybe five minutes before Eddie heard footsteps approaching the basement door, then heard it creak slowly open.

Eddie shrunk back and stared up the stair case, seeing Henry's shoes first, then his legs, hands, chest, neck, and finally his face, as he made his way down the steps. He couldn't say he felt any relief that it was Henry over his father this time. He really didn't want to encounter either one of them right now. Not after what he'd just heard.

The older boy looked angry, which wasn't unusual, but a strange sort of pain was in his eyes too. Eddie frowned as he was even almost sure he saw a glimmer of unshed tears there, even more than before.

Swallowing nervously as Henry walked up in front of him, Eddie took note of a bit of blood smudged under Henry's nose. He also looked like he had a bruise forming under his eye. Eddie couldn't forget all the screaming and loud crashing noises he'd heard just now, and the other ones he earlier.

He also noticed Henry's moods were somehow different here. When he beat up Eddie and his friends out in town, in the woods, around the school. It was quick, angry... not really all that personal. Here, it was drawn out, kind of weird. Mixed with attempted humor, a bitterness that was almost sad, and perhaps even a bit of humanity. Henry told Eddie the younger boy made him wish he had a little brother. Was that a compliment? It sure beat the usual homophobic slurs and physical pain. Henry was also quite obviously struggling in his own life, flat out telling Eddie a big reason he picked on smaller kids was because the world seemed to care about them more than it cared about kids like him.

Eddie couldn't ignore all of this. Henry had clearly just had an argument with his dad, and from the looks and sounds of it, it was violent. He deserved somebody to stand up for him - to tell him to his face that the way his dad treated him wasn't okay.

"Did your dad hit you?" Eddie blurted before he could tell himself to just shut up and stay the hell out of Henry's personal life.

Henry narrowed his eyes and stared silently down at his captive. His expression betrayed no emotion one way or the other.

Eddie breathed in and out slow, careful breaths, trying to keep himself calm. "He shouldn't do that..." He added in a tiny whisper. Even with Henry being a brute bully, his dad shouldn't have hit him. Hell, that was probably why the older boy was so violent. He learned it from his dad.

Henry laughed softly and squatted down in front of Eddie. "You don't think so?" He spoke in a low, almost growling voice. He smirked, but didn't look happy, like maybe he was smiling purely out of spite.

Eddie shook his head and swallowed nervously.

"You wanna know what else my dad does?" Henry whispered.

Eddie felt his breaths becoming quicker as he stared back. His lip trembled and he flinched as Henry reached out both of his hands and grabbed at Eddie's face. "Maybe I'll show you in a little bit..." Henry suggested, staring with wild eyes. His mood had definitely further soured since the alcohol and inhaler incident. He almost seemed to be happy during all that - happy and not even all that violent. Even the last time he was down here, he started off the conversation more contemplative, even more sad than angry. He just looked pissed off now.

Henry was shaking slightly now, as he held onto Eddie with a tight, painful grip. He seemed really, really mad... and possibly ready to take it out on someone smaller than him. Someone defenseless... Someone like Eddie.

"He shouldn't do mean things to you..." Eddie whispered. "Even if you do things he doesn't like, he shouldn't hit you or scream-"

"Shut up." Henry growled, gripping Eddie's face in tighter hands. "You think I don't fucking know that? You think you're gonna fucking save me from this shit? Dad's been a god damned prick my whole life, then my little fucking hero Eddie Kaspbrak shows up, tells him, 'no, that's bad,' and everything's fucking solved."

Eddie swallowed and shrunk back. He wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't claiming to have the ability to fix any of this, to turn Henry's dad into a good person... He just wanted Henry to know that someone cared. That how his dad treated him wasn't okay - that he didn't deserve it. Eddie could guess Henry's dad might have him convinced otherwise - that he was bad and deserved to be hurt because of it.

"Oh, yeah... My dad's a real bastard. You wouldn't last a fucking day here if you were me. I've been thinking about what we were talking about earlier... I was kinda drunk, but we were wondering if my dad would go easy on you if you were my bother..." Henry went on, shaking his head. "No. He wouldn't... Lucky for you you're not my brother, Faggot, because he'd beat the shit out of you for acting like a weak little queer."

"He shouldn't hit you... Maybe you should tell someone..." Eddie suggested in a breathless voice.

Henry stared for a moment, before letting out a sudden laugh. "Sure. I'll tell someone. Who, the fuckin' police?"

Eddie felt tears in his eyes as Henry's grip on his face tightened. He could feel the older boy's fingertips pressing down painfully, probably creating bruises on his neck and cheeks. "Maybe a teacher..." Eddie winced. "He shouldn't hit you..."

"I'll bet your daddy would never hurt you." Henry growled, letting go of Eddie's face only to quickly slap him across the cheek.

Eddie winced and squeezed his eyes shut, shrinking down as much as possible.

"I'll bet you're just his sweet, precious, delicate little baby boy... He probably hugs you, and kisses you on the forehead." Henry grabbed Eddie's chin and turned his face back toward him, slapping his other hand mockingly against Eddie's forehead. "I just can't relate to that..." Henry added with narrowed eyes, staring down at Eddie as though reading every aspect of his identity. "You're so little and soft..." He noted, his voice low and distant. "Almost like hurting you in a meaningful way would be off-limits... Like maybe the universe decided you should get a break from all this shit, so you were created to be tiny and pathetic enough that the world collectively decided to let you off the hook."

Eddie swallowed nervously, shaking his head. Obviously that wasn't true... Henry and Patrick had hurt him a lot - just today alone had been excruciating.

"Your daddy wouldn't do the shit my dad does... Maybe he even loves you too much. That's a fine line you know, or at least it seems that way at first. Hard to tell when you're a little kid. Probably what's wrong with Patrick." Henry went on.

Eddie swallowed, staring up with wide, frightened eyes. He didn't understand what Henry was implying.

"Your daddy ever sleep in your bed with you? Tell you how special you are? Cuddle with you at night? Rub his hands all over you in that way you thought was love at first..." Henry went on. "If the world decided not to hurt you like my dad hurts me... I could see that being what someone like you gets instead... You'd be the perfect target for something like that. It starts with your arms, your back... Innocent stuff... Words of praise... Making you feel valid and important. Gentle hands, rubbing a little more than seems necessary, but still harmless... Then he goes down between your legs, still not rough, but where you know he shouldn't be grabbing. Maybe tries to get into your pants, grabs your little dick. Confusing 'cuz it doesn't even hurt..."

Eddie stared with his mouth slightly open. He didn't know how to respond to that.

"Might not even stop there... If he gets bored of just touching, it could get real sick, real fast. I'm talking like his dick in your mouth, his fingers up your ass. Maybe he makes you jerk him off. Your daddy ever do that?" Henry asked.

"No." Eddie shook his head. He never really got to know his dad that well, but he really didn't think the man would have ever done anything like that. "My dad's dead." He whispered, swallowing a lump in his throat.

Henry laughed and rolled his eyes. "Lucky. I wish mine was."

"Does..." Eddie cut himself off with a small breath. "Does your dad..." He trailed off.

"NO." Henry growled, slapping Eddie again, very, very hard this time, across his face.

Eddie saw spots in front of his eyes as he blinked and cowered down, whimpering in pain. He brought his taped hands up to cover his face as he choked out a small sob.

"I don't let people fuck with me like that." Henry went on, clearly desperately needing to convince Eddie that nothing like that had happened to him. He grabbed Eddie's arm in a tight, bruising grip, pulling it away from his face and dragging him back up. "That's the one fuckin' thing my dad doesn't put up with. He had a friend once who tried that shit and he beat the shit out of him. He got the guy fired from the precinct too."

"He was a police officer? The friend?" Eddie gasped. It was bad enough that Henry's dad was a police man, considering he clearly beat his son... but someone who would sexually molest children was a cop at one point? Children were supposed to trust the police.

"Yeah. Not anymore." Henry shrugged.

"He hurt you like that? Like... what you said-" Eddie started.

"NO, Damn it!" Henry squeezed Eddie's arm in a tight fist, twisting it painfully until Eddie let out a tearful scream. He then let go and put his hand on Eddie's collar instead, pushing him hard up against the wall. "He tried. He didn't fuckin' do it. I'm not a fag. I wouldn't let someone do that to me. None of your damn business anyway."

Eddie felt his lip tremble as tears filled his eyes. He didn't know how to reason with this kid. He was trying to see the older boy's humanity, to empathize with him... But Henry was making it next to impossible to do so. Even when Eddie tried to tell him he deserved better, he just wouldn't stop being violent and cruel.

"It's not your fault... If that did happen-" Eddie started.

"Shut up!" Henry screamed, grabbing Eddie around his throat and squeezing for a moment.

Reaching up with his taped hands, Eddie grabbed at Henry's arms, trying to pull the older boy back. "Please!" He rasped.

Henry let out a small growl, but let go, shoving Eddie back as he did so. "You wanna play therapist? You wanna see what my dad does to me?"

Eddie stared, feeling himself shaking as he breathed in quick, fearful breaths. Henry was so mad... Terrifyingly angry. It was clearly in response to whatever argument he'd just had with his father. Eddie hadn't even done anything to provoke this. Henry was just pissed off, and unfortunately Eddie was here. Henry wanted to let his anger out on someone, and Eddie was available to be his target.

"I can go with you to tell someone. About all of this. Maybe you can live somewhere else. You shouldn't have to put up with your dad hurting you - no matter what you did to make him mad... He's your dad... He shouldn't-" Eddie started, stopping in mid-sentence with a sharp wince as Henry smacked him across the face again.

"Nobody molested me, okay? You're so fuckin' obsessed with it, you little faggot... But that's not what happened. My dad's friend tried to. TRIED. He didn't do it... One thing my dad ever defended me on." Henry growled. "But you're so interested in knowing, so here you go. I'll show you what shit I have to put up with. Shit your dad would'a never done to you. And I can handle it, because I'm not a damn pussy. You won't be able to handle it."

Henry stood up, grabbing his belt and unbuckling it as he started sliding it through his jeans belt loops.

Eddie felt his eyes widening as he shrunk back. Henry just got through over-explaining that his father hadn't done anything sexual to him... He said he was going to show Eddie what his Dad did... Why take off his belt? He even specifically told Eddie earlier - after Patrick tried to hurt him like that, that Henry wouldn't ever do something like that himself - that Eddie deserved it, but that he couldn't be the one to do it.

"What are you doing?" Eddie gasped, raising his bound hands in defense as he pressed his back against the wall.

Henry just smirked and laughed as he slid the belt off and knelt down in front of the younger boy...

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	10. Chapter 10

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**Chapter 10**

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"Y-you don't have to show me..." Eddie stammered. "Whatever it is, you don't have to show me..." His voice shook with unshed tears as Henry knelt down in front of him, placing his belt on the ground and taking his knife out of his pocket.

"No..." Eddie shook his head and tried to shrink back. His vision blurred with tears. "I didn't mean to make you mad... or to bring up stuff you didn't want to talk about. I'm sorry... I was trying to help you. I'm sorry..."

Eddie whimpered a tiny, squeaking cry as Henry grabbed the front of his shirt, sliding his knife through the fabric and cutting it up the front.

"What are you doing?" Eddie breathed in a breathless whisper.

"Hoping you'll shut up sometime soon." Henry smirked, moving his knife to cut up each of Eddie's sleeves and then pulling the entire shirt off of him.

Eddie shivered and swallowed nervously. "I really didn't mean to make you mad... or to imply anything. I just noticed you looked like somebody hit you, and I heard your dad-" He was cut off with a yelp of pain when Henry suddenly slammed a fist up against his ribs, choking all of his breath out of him.

"Stop talking." Henry growled, standing back up, taking his belt in his hand along with him. "And turn around."

Shaking his head, Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and tried to regain control of his breathing. Henry's punch was so hard, so forceful. He felt tears in his eyes as he tried to inhale a breath.

"Turn around." Henry demanded again. "Now."

"No." Eddie shook his head, cowering down. His breaths were so small, so shallow. He couldn't get his lungs to work properly.

"God damn it! NOW!" Henry screamed.

"Why?" Eddie whispered, his voice shaking along with his body. It was so cold down here, and he was really scared.

"So I can show you what you wanted to see." Henry answered in a low, amused voice, with an edge of frustration to it.

Eddie shook his head. "I don't want to see it anymore." He never asked to be shown what Henry's dad did to him. He was trying to empathize with the older boy, trying to be supportive to his struggles - to show him that he understood and cared that Henry's dad was abusive. He didn't need a demonstration.

"Too bad." Henry spoke. "Turn around. I'm not asking again."

Eddie felt his whole body trembling as he remained still, staring with wide, tear filled eyes up at Henry. When Patrick made him turn around, it was so the older boy could do something really terrible. Eddie still wasn't sure what Henry was planning... He really didn't want to find out either.

Shrinking back, Eddie shook his head, feeling tears spilling from his eyes. "Henry, please don't... I don't wanna do anything like that. You said you wouldn't... I was trying to help you... I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry... Just... Please don't make me..." He felt sobs rising in his throat. If Henry wanted to hurt him like Patrick tried to, he was going to. There wasn't anything Eddie could do about it.

"Stop whining and turn around." Henry glared.

Eddie choked out a frightened sob as he shook his head again. If Henry wanted to sexually assault him, he was probably going to, but Eddie wasn't going to make it easy. He wasn't going to just let it happen. He was going to fight back, beg for mercy. "Please don't hurt me... I've done what you asked. I didn't try to escape again... You said you wouldn't do that..."

"Wouldn't do what?" Henry stared, narrowing his eyes.

Eddie felt his lower lip trembling as he stared back up at the older boy. "Don't make me turn around... Don't hurt me." He could feel his breaths becoming more and more frantic. He blinked slowly, trying to calm himself down. He couldn't afford to have an asthma attack right now. Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to calm himself down, he knew he wasn't going to be able to control that.

A smirk started spreading on Henry's face as the older boy laughed. "Do you think I'm trying to rape you?"

Eddie sniffed back tears and stared up at him. It certainly seemed like that's what he was doing.

"If I wanted to rape you, I'd have done it hours ago. That's fuckin' gross. I'm not a faggot. I'm not Patrick, and I'm not you. I was fuckin' with you before. I don't do that shit." Henry frowned. "Turn around so I don't hit your face."

Eddie looked up and blinked. So Henry was going to hit him? His eyes moved down to the belt in the older boy's hand. Within a matter of seconds, the slight relief of knowing Henry didn't plan to sexually assault him was replaced with extreme dread and fear of being violently hit with the belt. It wasn't a very comforting alternative.

That's what Henry was going to show him. That's what Henry's dad did to him that he was going to mimic on Eddie.

Shaking his head, Eddie raised his taped up hands up over his face, pressing his back against the wall. "H-Henry, please don't... I'm sorry your dad hits you, okay? He's wrong. He shouldn't do that. That's really wrong..."

"Turn around." Henry stared. "Last chance."

"Y-you said you wanted a brother... When... Earlier when you made me drink that stuff... Brothers wouldn't hit each oth-" Eddie cut himself off with a sharp scream as Henry swung the belt down, hitting his forearm with a harsh, stinging blow.

"Turn around and it won't hurt as bad." Henry laughed.

Eddie cowered down further as sobs choked out of his mouth. "Don't!" He cried, flinching and whimpering as the belt struck him against his chest.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as Eddie tried to curl in on himself, tried to shield his face and head with his arms and hands. Each time Henry hit him, white-hot pain shot through his entire body. He couldn't understand why Henry would do this to him. Sure, he must have felt tremendous pain and betrayal when his dad hit him. That had to hurt both physically and emotionally... but why turn around and hurt someone else? How could that make anything feel any better?

"Fucking little idiot." Henry growled, grabbing Eddie's arm and pulling him so that his back faced the older boy. "It doesn't hurt as bad on your back." He noted, swinging the belt down again so that it smacked painfully across Eddie's back.

"Please stop!" Eddie sobbed, shrinking further and further into the corner as Henry continued hitting him. Eddie's forehead and shoulders were actually pressed against the corner walls now as he cowered down. Henry continued swinging the belt, creating angry red lines all over Eddie's back and a few on his upper arms.

Henry laughed as he swung the belt down again. "At least I'm not raping you, right?"

Eddie shrunk down, unable to slow down his intense, pained cries.

"He acts like he cares about people - searching for those missing kids, telling their parents he understands how they feel - that he'd be devastated too if it happened to him... But he doesn't give a shit about anyone. He's part of the search team looking for you, you know... But he doesn't even know your name." Henry growled, swinging the belt down and hitting Eddie's shoulder. "He doesn't care that those kids are dead. He wishes his own kid was."

"Stop!" Eddie begged, trying to make himself smaller, trying to squeeze himself further into the corner.

"He probably wouldn't hit you if you were his son..." Henry noted. "He couldn't... Maybe he'd do it once, and see you can't take it. You're too weak. He'd accidentally kill you... That's probably why abusive bastards like him turn to sex things instead sometimes - for when the kids they wanna hurt are too small to handle a real beating..."

Eddie whimpered softly and shook his head, hoping Henry wasn't suggesting doing that instead. The belt hurt... but Eddie knew the alternative would hurt in a different way - a way much more painful than any physical pain Henry could dish out.

"My dad hates rapists though... Especially little kid rapists..." Henry noted, raising his arm up and swinging the belt down again. "Maybe you really would be the perfect little boy for him. Except he hates faggots too, and you act like one. He'd have to toughen you up. Get you to stop acting like a prissy little queer."

Eddie choked out a pained, frightened sob as he pressed himself further into the corner. "Please..." He whimpered. His entire back stung horribly. Hie entire body felt almost numb with pain. He couldn't even breathe. "St-stop..." He choked.

"When he's really mad..." Henry went on, pausing for a moment so that the only sound or movement in the room was Eddie's frantic, ragged breaths. "He uses the buckle..."

Eddie shook his head and sobbed out desperate, shaking breaths. He couldn't even bring himself to speak anymore. He honestly felt slightly betrayed. Henry had compared him to a hypothetical little brother... Not even the cruelest of people would want to hurt their own brother - especially not like this. Maybe Eddie had read too much into that comment. Maybe Henry didn't have any humanity. Eddie thought he was seeing something that just wasn't fucking there.

"I won't though..." Henry went on, reaching down and grabbing Eddie's upper arm.

"Don't touch me!" Eddie gasped, yanking his arm back as he continued to sob breathlessly, feeling like his lungs were going to explode. He hated Henry, so, so much. Maybe the older boy did deserve to be hit with a belt. Maybe he was such a monster that his dad didn't know what else to do with him, how else to handle him.

"Come on, kid... It wasn't that bad..." Henry grabbed out at his arm again.

"Get off of me!" Eddie sobbed. "L-let..." He stammered between frantic, pained breaths. "Let go... Let me go!"

Henry let out a small growling noise as he squatted down in front of Eddie, forcing him to turn around by grabbing his upper arms and holding onto them. "I live through it every day." He stared.

"Then why w-would you do it t-to someone else!?" Eddie gasped between breathless sobs. "Y-you know how m-much it hurts! You're a fucking monster!" Eddie screamed, his voice shaking. He didn't care if he made Henry mad anymore. It didn't matter. He tried so hard to empathize with him, to see him as a person, a damaged, abused person... but it just wasn't working.

"Stop being a pussy." Henry stared, looking almost confused by Eddie's reaction to his abuse. What did he expect?

"Y-you ha-have no hu-humanity... Y-you're just c-cruel, and hear-heartless..." Eddie whimpered, his pained breaths shaking so bad he could barely manage to speak. "I... h-hate you..." Eddie choked out between breathless sobs.

Henry frowned, staring silently back at Eddie. "I was like you once... When I was younger... I used to cry like this... Get mad..."

Eddie shook his head and continued sobbing. Why would Henry do this to him? If he knew how painful it was, if he knew how it felt to be small, having someone bigger than him hurting him while he could do nothing to defend himself. Why would he want to make someone else feel that?

"It's not a big deal, kid..." Henry went on, his voice sounding like there was something extra there, something more than anger or amusement... maybe even something close to guilt or regret, but Eddie doubted he was capable of those feelings. "I know maybe you didn't deserve it... Neither did I..." He trailed off, suddenly becoming quite silent and still.

"I didn't do anything to you!" Eddie sobbed, wheezing painfully. "Your dad is fucking terrible, okay!? I didn't hurt you! He did!" Eddie couldn't help but to let his words and breaths dissolve into fully panicked sobs. He shrunk down on himself, ignoring Henry's hands on his arms. "He's a bastard for what he does to you! It's not my fault!"

Eddie was somewhat surprised when Henry didn't slap him, or punch or kick him... Or start hitting him again. He just stayed there, squatting in front of Eddie, holding him up by his upper-arms as he sobbed and gasped for breaths. He didn't say anything mocking or otherwise condescending. He didn't laugh or spit... He just sat there, waiting on Eddie's breaths to calm down, which took a while.

"I won't do it again." Henry finally said once Eddie's sobs had dissolved into soft, shaking breaths and sniffs. "Maybe I shouldn't have done it, okay? You're not hurt that bad though." He frowned.

Eddie swallowed and stared back at the older boy. "Can I please go home?" He whimpered, his voice so small he could barely hear himself.

Henry stared down at him silently for a moment, before shaking his head. "No." He refused, standing up and leaving Eddie down on the floor.

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	11. Chapter 11

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**Chapter 11**

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As soon as Henry was gone, Eddie immediately started sobbing again, unable to allow himself to do anything else. He wanted to go home. He didn't know if he could survive this much longer. It didn't feel like Henry had any plan to let Eddie leave any time soon. What if he was never going to let him go? What if he kept him here, hurting him for fun until he accidentally went too far and killed him? That had to be coming... Henry was escalating, hurting him worse and worse. Killing him would be the final escalation - even if it weren't on purpose. That was what this was leading toward...

Shivering, Eddie pressed his back against the wall, hissing at the pain it caused and looking up at the broken window as his sobs died down again. Maybe he could try it again. It wasn't like he had much to lose. Henry kept hurting him worse and worse. What more could he do?

He could kill him, on purpose... He could do what he threatened to do before - let Patrick hurt him first, then slowly, painfully kill him.

Eddie swallowed nervously, but couldn't keep his eyes off the window. Henry and Patrick could only hurt him more if he failed. If he snuck out the window quickly and quietly, he could go home...

He felt tears in his eyes as he thought about it. His mom was going to be so upset. Of course, she probably already was... but if Eddie came home covered in welts and cuts, bruises, dirt and grime... She was going to be so mad.

It almost made him not want to even go home. He just didn't want to be here either. He wanted to go to Richie's house... but without his parents there either. He wanted his friends... Nobody else. He wanted his people - people who understood that he couldn't go to the police or the hospital. People who understood he just needed somewhere warm and safe to exist for a while... Somewhere with food and water and a warm shower and a bed. He didn't need doctors or police or concerned parents. He just needed to be away from here. With Richie, Bill, Stanley... With someone who understood this and wouldn't make it worse while trying to help.

He knew his friends could make all of this better. They'd allow him to tell them what happened at his own pace. They wouldn't get mad at him if he refused to go to the police or if he didn't want to talk about every detail of what had been happening to him. They'd help him without complicating things.

Eddie felt his eyes widening and a small breath catch in his throat when he suddenly saw a gloved hand grab onto the window's ledge from the outside. It was a white glove... Like the clown wore.

"Fuck..." Eddie whispered, staring from the window to the stairs leading up to the rest of the house. He couldn't tell which was worse. Should he try to leave the basement? He really couldn't decide... No one but he and his friends seemed to ever see the clown or anything that the clown did in the world. If Eddie ran upstairs, screaming that a scary clown was coming in through the basement window, Henry wasn't going to believe him. He'd just be mad at Eddie. He'd think Eddie was trying to escape the house.

He felt himself shaking and fresh tears stung at his eyes as Eddie watched the clown contort himself to squeeze through the window and land in a cartoonish dismount on the floor. Eddie pressed his back against the wall. As the welts and cuts on his back touched the surface behind him, Eddie winced in pain.

"You okay, Eds?" Pennywise spoke in his usual, childish, almost mocking voice, staring down at Eddie with a weirdly surprised look on his face.

Eddie whimpered and shrunk back as he shook his head, not answering the clown's question so much as silently begging him to leave him alone. Pennywise stepped closer, kneeling down in front of the boy.

"Those big boys are so cruel, hm?" Pennywise forced an over-the-top pout. "So violent. So mean." He narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

Eddie stared nervously, unable to bring himself to speak. Why couldn't he just face one problem at a time? Why did the fucking clown have to show up, now of all times? Eddie's hands were already tied up, he was already trapped in a basement, hurt, scared, exhausted, out of breath...

"You can come with me." The clown smiled, holding out his large hand, palm-up in front of Eddie's face.

Shaking his head, Eddie shrunk down.

"We're making pancakes." Pennywise nodded with an over-the-top grin, moving his hand closer, causing Eddie to flinch back with a sharp breath. "Delicious, warm, buttery pancakes... And the shiniest apples you've ever seen... You can have as many as you want."

Eddie swallowed nervously, shaking his head. These were all lies... The clown was somehow seeing Eddie's thoughts. He knew Eddie was hungry. He knew he narrowly missed out on pancakes and apples this morning. He knew Eddie desperately wanted out of here. But Eddie knew how this clown worked. Pennywise offered things that weren't real. He pretended to be harmless, helpful, sympathetic... but he was none of those things.

"Or..." The clown curled his hand into a fist and glared down at Eddie. "You can stay here. With the big, mean boys... Who will hurt you. Beat you, cut you, break your little bones..."

Eddie's lower lip trembled as he stared up at the clown. "Leave me alone..." He whispered.

Pennywise laughed. "There's no mean boys where I live. I don't allow it. I can take you home with me... I can give you miracle medicine to make those nasty welts feel good as new, a soft bed, a warm blanket. Cool, clean water. With ice." He nodded with a large smile.

Eddie swallowed a dry gulp, but shook his head again. "Hm um." He refused in a tiny whisper. "Get away from me..."

"Alright. Stay here then." Pennywise shrugged with a scowl. "The tall one will hurt you, in very terrible, nasty ways... The other one might too. Maybe together." The clown smirked and nodded with raised eyebrows. "One holds you down. The other touches you where you don't want to be touched."

Eddie sniffed back tears, shaking his head as the clown went on.

"Oh, Eddie... They will hurt you so, so bad..." Pennywise frowned. "Poor sweet, innocent little Eddie. Such a soft, scared little boy who all the big boys just love to hurt. Won't be innocent for long."

Breathing hard, Eddie continued staring, unsure what to say or do. He wondered if the clown would grab him and steal him away if Eddie didn't agree to it... He was posing it as a question so far - as Eddie's choice. Eddie sure as hell wasn't going to go with the clown willingly.

"You'll wish you had come with me." Pennywise shook his head sadly. "I certainly wouldn't want to be you... Not when those big, mean boys are forcing themselves on you. Forcing themselves in you..." He added with a disgusted grimace. "You're so little... And they're so big."

"Leave me alone..." Eddie shook his head, crawling slightly to the side, trying to distance himself from the clown. He knew better than to believe this was compassion. It wasn't. It was mocking, trickery, condescending.

"You do understand though, little Eddie... Don't you?" The clown pouted. "You know what those big boys want from you?"

"Go away." Eddie breathed. "Please go away..." He felt tears in his eyes as his voice shook.

"They'll force their bad body parts onto you... and into you... Make you touch them... Make you let them touch you." Pennywise shook his head. "It will hurt you very much. You wouldn't know if you haven't had it happen, Edward, but it will hurt. You'll cry, and bleed..."

"Stop!" Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and shrunk down. He didn't want to hear this. He knew what Patrick had previously threatened him with. He didn't need this horrible, terrifying clown to spell it out.

Eddie gasped and flinched as he felt the clown's hand reach out and caress his cheek. "Strange that a tiny, gentle, scared little boy would choose rape over comfort." Pennywise whispered. "I can keep you safe... You want them to violate you instead." He shrugged.

Swallowing, Eddie stared up at the clown, trying to ignore the hand on his face as he trembled slightly. This was a trick. Either that, or a hallucination. He couldn't tell which at this point. Was he even awake? Maybe he passed out from the pain in his back. Maybe none of this was even real.

"Last chance." Pennywise held out his gloved hand again. "I can take you to a nice place, with soda and french fries and pillows. No big mean boys. Only little, delicate, nice boys like you. Richie could come. And Bill." He nodded excitedly. "They'll hug you and protect you. So sweet, little boys can be when they're friends. Such contrast from the big boys who've been so cruel to you."

Eddie shook his head and shrunk down, bringing his arms up over his face to hide himself. "Leave me alone..." He breathed, his voice shaking. "I don't want to go with you... I won't go... Leave me alone!"

When he heard nothing else after a few seconds, Eddie slowly moved his arms down. The clown was gone.

With a shaking breath, Eddie looked around the room, up at the window. No one was there. He was all by himself. As he looked around the cold, dark space, Eddie wondered if the clown was ever there at all.

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	12. Chapter 12

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**Chapter 12**

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Henry Bowers huffed out a frustrated breath as he made his way upstairs and into his bedroom. He closed the door behind him, careful not to slam it as hard as he wanted to. He couldn't risk waking up his dad - especially not right now. With a low growl in his throat, Henry threw his belt against the floor as hard as he could. He was completely unsatisfied by the fact that it didn't land with a smack as loud or louder than the ones produced by the makeshift weapon hitting Eddie's skin minutes earlier.

Letting out another angry exhale, Henry paced around his room, squeezing his hands into fists and looking for something he could destroy. He was so fucking mad. He was more than mad. Frustration, confusion, rage, and a whole mess of other emotions clouded his mind. Henry didn't often feel guilt - maybe he never had before... But he was pretty sure that's what he was feeling now.

He tried to remain quiet even while having a strange sort of breakdown he really couldn't understand. He couldn't afford to wake his father. Henry just knew that if his dad tried fucking anything with him right now, Henry would escalate it. He'd end up hurt, even more mad, even more on-edge... Probably take it out on Eddie again and make himself feel even more guilty. He was just too on-edge. He was angry, confused... Mad at his dad for being a violent bastard - for turning Henry into one, mad at himself for being a violent bastard, and for being mad at himself. Why should he be held accountable for any of this? It wasn't his fault his dad taught him to be like this.

He was mad at Eddie too - for making him feel like shit. For making him question everything about himself. How the hell had Eddie managed to make Henry feel bad for any of this? Henry spent years - most of his life - hating people like Eddie, feeling pretty fucking confident in his assertion that kids like him deserved to be pushed around, hit, kicked, and otherwise mistreated and degraded. What the hell had happened? Why did Henry feel actual fucking guilt right now?

When Henry was downstairs just minutes ago, hitting Eddie with his belt just like Henry's dad did to him... Eddie has asked him why... why he'd hurt someone in that way when he knew from his own experience how awful it was. Why did Henry do it? He wasn't sure. He had the decency to try to protect Eddie from sexual assault - because he knew how scary and traumatic it was... Because that was the one thing he just couldn't wish on anyone. His own experience with it put it off limits in his head... So why didn't he do the same with physical violence?

Henry knew how awful it felt to be hit with a belt for seemingly no reason... He knew how it felt to be screamed at, pushed, spit on, talked down to... pretty much treated like a piece of shit on the bottom of someone's shoe. He knew how emotionally and physically draining it was... So why did he do it? Why would he do things to Eddie that his dad did to him? Things that made him feel weak and worthless?

Maybe it was because he felt so small and powerless in his own life... Not his social life at school and in the community... He felt really fucking powerful there. But at home... At home, his dad made him feel like a useless piece of trash... His dad made sure Henry knew he was dumb and dirty and violent and that all of it was bad. That Henry's entire being was unpleasant and unwanted. Maybe Henry just needed to make someone else feel worse - so that he wasn't the lowest... But Eddie didn't deserve that - just like Henry didn't...

And Henry had chosen such a depressing target to take all of his rage out on... A cute little kid who kind of reminded him of his former self - someone small and fragile, with big, scared eyes, a meek, fearful disposition, being beaten and abused by someone so much bigger, stronger, and meaner. That was Henry once. When he was a lot younger than Eddie was now - but that was how Henry used to be... He used to be tiny and innocent... He used to cry and feel almost unable to believe his dad would hurt him like that...

Perhaps that was why Eddie looking so small and young made Henry so mad. The kid was still innocent - the world treated him like he was important and worthy of protection. His friends always pulled him out of the way when Henry and his gang approached. They stood in front of him, pulled him back... They'd even whispered for him to leave on occasion, knowing they'd rather face the pain than to allow their sweet, tiny, fragile little friend to be hurt. Eddie's mom even over-did it, making sure the boy feared the entire world, emphasizing that the whole planet was out to get him. Water from a river was dirty and would kill him if he touched it. The grass could trigger an asthma attack...

People were so fucking careful with this kid. They treated him like he was precious. Why hadn't anyone ever done that for Henry? He was small and innocent once. He used to be a fucking tiny little four year old kid with big eyes and a cute smile... Little bitty arms and legs that someone could break if they were too rough. He used to be that... But no one cared. No one hid him behind them to keep him safe.

Letting out an angry growl, Henry made his way over to his bed and punched his pillow. "God damn it!" He growled, punching the pillow again and again. He growled again, taking out his knife - the one he'd just barely cut Eddie's neck with - and stabbed it into the pillow. "Fuck!" He muttered under his breath. "Fuck you. FUCK YOU!" He breathed, trying to keep his voice low. He wished the pillow was his dad... That's who he was really mad at. Not Eddie. Not Eddie's dumb little friends.

Why was Henry doing this? What the hell was he thinking when he snatched up Eddie and brought him here? Did he think he'd keep the kid here forever? Did he have a reasonable plan of how and when to let him go? Or did he believe somewhere in the back of his mind that he would actually kill the kid? Letting him go with belt-shaped welts all over his back was certainly going to raise suspicion. Henry had grabbed him and punched him. Patrick had him pinned down earlier, with his knees pressing Eddie's little legs hard against the floor. The poor kid had to be completely covered in bruises - some of them clearly finger-shaped. He probably had long, suspicious-shaped welts all over his ass and upper-thighs too - from when Henry went full-fucking lunatic sociopath on him and hit him with the hammer handle.

Henry shook his head and exhaled a shaky breath. At least he hadn't followed through with his threats on that... God damn. He had been so fucking close to shoving that hammer up Eddie's ass. In that moment, he was so damn mad he almost did it.

Even if Eddie didn't tell on him, people were going to press the boy for answers... If he had been lost in the woods all day, why did he have a black eye? Why did it look like someone hit him with a belt? Why did he have finger-shaped bruises up and down his arms? How the hell did Henry think he was going to explain all of this? When he took this kid, did he even plan on ever letting him go? Was killing him Henry's endgame?

How was he going to get out of this? Was Henry really this fucking unhinged? He took this kid without a plan... Just beat the shit out of him... Made it really obvious. He even almost fucking raped him. Was he going to have to kill this boy to keep himself from getting in trouble? Would that be what it'd take to make all of this go away?

Swallowing, Henry stared down at the knife in his hands. Bits of feathers from his pillow were stuck to the blade. Killing Eddie wouldn't be hard... Using the knife would be really messy though. He put it back into his pocket and put his hands together, holding them out in front of himself in a circle, like he was gripping someone's neck. He could strangle him... The poor kid could barely breathe even on a normal day... Hell, Henry could probably kill him just by taking his inhaler away and waiting.

Closing his eyes, Henry imagined going downstairs, luring the kid up from the basement, promising him he was going to take him home if he just stayed quiet for a little while longer. He'd put him in his car, drive him out to the woods - to an old well where he'd thrown the cats he killed when he was twelve...

Eddie would probably start panicking as soon as it was clear Henry was headed toward the woods and not to the boy's house... Eddie was so fucking scared all the time though - which meant Henry could keep him in check by threatening him with pretty much anything - telling him he'd cut him if he screamed or tried to get away...

Then when they got to the well, Henry could get out, tell Eddie to do the same... He'd push the boy down to the ground, put one hand over his mouth, pinch his nose with the other... and wait. Just like Patrick said before - it'd be easy. Eddie wasn't strong. His hands would be taped. Henry could kill him like that. Clean and quick. He'd probably even whisper a secret apology to the kid afterward, because he would be sorry... Just like he was sorry when he killed his dog when he was thirteen.

Henry stared at his closed door, inhaling and exhaling nervously. He wasn't a killer. He didn't want to be that... When he killed animals, he usually regretted it after. He couldn't kill a person... That wasn't who he wanted to become. But he didn't want to be any of the things he was right now. He was acting like a complete fucking monster. He was doing and allowing things he was morally against. He knew it was wrong... He knew Eddie didn't deserve it. He knew it was unfair and cruel... and just awful. Henry was an awful person, and he knew it... So why couldn't he just stop?

Was it because he was too far gone? He'd put Eddie and his friends through so much shit already, he'd shot birds and drowned squirrels... He did so much wicked, evil shit... How could he just turn that around?

A part of him felt like maybe he was trying... Maybe just realizing he was a monster could help him stop being one... But he had done so much wrong during this past day. He had hurt Eddie so much.

When Patrick almost raped the kid earlier, Henry was completely disgusted by it. His friend kept suggesting and implying and trying to do gross, sexual things to this kid, and Henry hated it... But then he literally almost did the same thing.

When Eddie tried to escape, and broke the basement window... Henry had been so fucking mad. He was so mad he kind of wanted to just kill the kid and bury him in the woods - just be done with this... He was so angry that he wasn't thinking. He was just acting, threatening at first - telling Eddie he'd hurt him in a way he knew would completely terrify the boy.

He didn't intend to actually do it in that moment... But then when he yanked the kid's pants down, and had the hammer in his hand with the end of it right there - he thought how easy it would be to do... He thought about how much he fucking hated the little prick for breaking his dad's window. He actually almost did it. He had the hammer right there. He could have just lowered it another few inches and shoved it in. He seriously almost did it, but the thought of committing that act against someone made him feel sick... And luckily something in his rage-addled brain turned off and kept him from crossing that line.

Henry was so glad he hadn't done that. It scared him that he almost couldn't control himself, but he did ultimately control his anger, and he didn't do it. If he had raped Eddie, he would have had to kill him afterward. Henry knew he wouldn't have been able to live with himself knowing some kid out in the world had that memory of him, had that knowledge of what he was capable of.

This night could have gotten really dark, really fast. He was so glad it hadn't spiraled into that.

When Henry was young - maybe seven or eight years old, his dad's friend had tried to assault him like that - not anything violent like what Patrick and even Henry himself had threatened or attempted with Eddie - but it was still traumatic. His dad's friend kind of just grabbed him... Over his pajama pants... The man talked to him while he rubbed his hand awkwardly between the boy's legs, telling him he was mature for his age, that he was smart... just generally sucking up so Henry would feel special... Henry could see that now, after the fact. The guy had been grooming him - making Henry feel like he mattered to somebody for once. He asked Henry to take his pants off, but Henry freaked out and told his dad. That was the extent of it. It wasn't that much... It was far less than what Patrick had done to Eddie. It was far less than what Henry had done to him too.

Henry didn't realize he was getting emotional until he felt and heard a soft sob choke its way out of his throat. That moment in his childhood had been so scary, so degrading... It made him feel ashamed, weak, dirty... And he had done something even worse to another kid.

In that moment, when he held the handle of the hammer down against Eddie's back, when he traced it further and further down, when he specifically told the kid he was going to violate him with it... Eddie had believed him. The poor kid was completely terrified. Henry had given the boy a memory the same or worse than Henry's own trauma. Henry never forgot that one, tiny moment... That two minutes where that man, bigger than him, stronger than him - grabbed him, threatened to do more... Henry did the same thing. Patrick did too - even worse... all because Henry allowed all of this to happen.

For some reason Henry had confided in Eddie about the incident... Not in great detail, but he did tell the kid - something he hadn't even told to Patrick or Belch or Vic or anyone else. No one but his dad and him knew about it - and his dad's former-friend of course... But for some reason he told Eddie too. He wasn't sure why... Maybe just because he could finally relate to the kid. Even though it was Henry's own making... Henry's fault that the kid knew what it felt like to be completely powerless - to feel degraded and humiliated by someone bigger, stronger, with power over him.

Of course, now that Henry thought about it, Eddie probably always felt like that. Eddie feared Henry Bowers and his friends in the same way that Henry feared his father. That was kind of the point - to unleash pent up anger and frustration on someone smaller and weaker than him.

Henry was almost impressed by Eddie's bravery... To dare fight back against Henry and Patrick was pretty ballsy - for someone Eddie's size, and with the kid's fearful, passive mentality. Henry honestly hadn't expected the kid to break the window and try to leave. He had been immediately pissed off by it, but after a while, he kind of admired the boy's bravery. He had to have been completely terrified to challenge Henry and Patrick like that, but he'd done it anyway.

That kind of reminded Henry of himself too - as he got older, he didn't put up with his father's shit as much. He fought back, talked back, was hostile the second he woke up, just waiting on his dad to snap. That's what Eddie was doing too - the kid was on-edge... building toward being aggressive to keep himself safe... Henry frowned. Eddie didn't need to turn into that - to be angry and mean and violent just because he was scared. Henry could stop now and make sure that didn't happen.

Staring out the window and into the dim light of the moon, Henry exhaled. He had thought a lot today about how someone like Eddie would have fared if he were unlucky enough to have been born into Henry's family. Henry couldn't guess for sure if his dad would hate or love the kid - hate him because he was small and weak and girly... or love him because he was cowardly and soft and didn't escalate things...

Maybe if Eddie were Henry's brother, Henry would have more of a reason to be a better person himself - someone small and vulnerable to depend on him... Henry could show the kid kindness, be a good big brother, protect him from their dad, make sure he didn't suffer like Henry did, be a fucking good person for once. If he had a brother, it could redeem his whole identity, give him a reason to exist beyond being a violent bastard and fucking up the lives of the unlucky kids of Derry.

Henry frowned as he stared at his belt lying on the carpet in the middle of his bedroom floor. It probably had Eddie's blood on it, just like some of Henry's dad's belts probably had Henry's blood on them.

Exhaling tiredly, Henry closed his eyes and leaned back on his bed. He probably needed to let Eddie go. He couldn't keep him here forever. The kid had been through enough. The last thing Henry wanted was to wait around until it was too late. Any second now the kid was going to try to escape - he was going to hit Henry back or start screaming and wake up Henry's dad... Henry would get so mad that he'd lose control of his anger and accidentally kill the kid.

He needed to let the boy go before it went that far. Eddie had told him he wasn't too far gone - that he deserved a chance to be better. Maybe the kid was right. Maybe Henry could actually do the right thing for once.

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	13. Chapter 13

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**Chapter 13**

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Curling into a tighter ball on the floor, Eddie shivered as he stared up at the broken window. He wanted so badly to try to climb out of it... but Henry's threats haunted his thoughts. For all Eddie knew, Henry was watching the window - just waiting for him to try something so he could carry out his earlier promise.

Drawing his knees up to his chest, Eddie closed his eyes. He pressed his bound wrists and hands up to his neck, shivering. He felt so miserable. A dull pain seemed to fill his entire being. His head felt sort of stuffy. His limbs, back, and chest hurt. His cheeks felt hot and his breaths felt a little too quick... He couldn't keep using his inhaler every five minutes though. For one, he was going to run out of medicine if he didn't slow down... And of course, he'd used it much more than normal already. He wasn't sure if taking too much of the medicine would do anything bad to him.

Exhaling shakily, Eddie squeezed himself into a tighter ball, trying to warm himself up. He couldn't even hug his arms around himself - not with his wrists taped together. Shivering, Eddie let out a soft moan of discomfort. He couldn't tell if he was getting sick or if he was just hurt badly enough that it caused his entire body to be in pain.

It wasn't clear how long he'd been lying down here since Henry and the clown. It was still dark outside, so it hadn't been a full day... But soon it would be. If Henry left him down here all night, came back down to hurt him again in the morning... went through an entire new day of this... then left him down here the following night... Eddie wouldn't survive it. He couldn't.

It had been less than a day and Eddie was already completely drained. His body hurt, a dull, constant pain enveloping every inch of him. He was so covered in bruises that there was no way to lay without it hurting. He was freezing, disoriented, hot and cold at the same time. He shivered, but his face felt hot. His lungs felt like they were full of cotton.

He looked back up at the window with a frown, blinking back unshed tears. Maybe he should have just let the clown take him. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. It could hardly get worse than this. This was entirely uncertain and terrifying, painful, humiliating... He didn't know how long it would last, if he'd ever get out alive.

Eddie closed his eyes, sniffing and making himself as small as possible. He was so cold.

He didn't think he could possibly fall asleep while so utterly uncomfortable, but somehow he did. The next thing he knew, he was waking up with a sharp breath as he felt hands on him, one pressing down over his mouth, and the other on his arm, pulling him up off the floor.

Eddie let out a muffled whimper as his eyes shot open. He raised his bound-hands up defensively as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he saw who it was who was grabbing him.

Patrick.

With his lower lip trembling and tears filling his eyes, Eddie shook his head.

"Don't make a sound." Patrick whispered, slowly moving his hand off of Eddie's mouth.

Eddie didn't even know what to say as soon as he was finally free to speak. He really hoped Patrick was a dream - as he assumed the clown had been. He hoped all of this had been a dream... that he was still asleep on Richie's bedroom floor.

Patrick let out a soft laugh as he sat down next to Eddie, leaning against the wall and pulling the smaller boy up next to him. He put his arm around Eddie's shoulders as the younger boy remained still and stiff. Eddie couldn't help but to tremble as he was forced to sit so close to the boy who had tried to brutally hurt him just hours earlier. What if he did it again? It was night now... Henry was probably asleep. No one was going to come down and interrupt him this time...

"You're really cold." Patrick noted, hugging Eddie tight against his side and rubbing his hand up and down the boy's arm. "Where'd your shirt go?"

Eddie's lip trembled as tears stung at his eyes. He didn't like Patrick touching him. He wanted to push him away, but he didn't want to make him mad. "Henry took it..." He whispered, his voice shaking as he continued shivering.

"Hmmm... He hurt you, huh?" Patrick spoke in a low voice as he looked Eddie up and down. His voice sounded like he was attempting to appear sympathetic, but Eddie knew better. Patrick didn't care that he was hurt. Patrick had attempted to sexually assault him just hours earlier. He didn't care... He was being deceptive, trying to put Eddie's mind at ease so it would be easier for him to hurt him without a fight.

Eddie swallowed nervously, staring up at the window. It seemed very slightly lighter out now. Maybe it was almost morning. He'd been here almost a full day. He wondered if his friends were asleep... They were probably worried about him. He wondered if Richie thought he was dead. He wondered if he was going to be dead soon.

Eddie exhaled tiredly and closed his eyes, leaning his head back slightly before he remembered Patrick was sitting next to him with his arm around Eddie's shoulders. Eddie winced and sat up straighter, trying to lean on Patrick as least as possible.

"You don't look like you feel very good, Pretty Boy." Patrick stuck out his lip in a mock-pout as he leaned forward and put his fingertips against Eddie's jaw.

Eddie parted his lips slightly as he inhaled a slow breath as he stared back at Patrick. He swallowed and shook his head, looking back up toward the window. He just wanted to vanish. He didn't want to be here. He kept looking up at the window, hoping not reacting might make Patrick leave... or disappear if he indeed was just a dream...

"I can make you feel better." Patrick went on, putting his hand on Eddie's knee and rubbing his fingers slowly back and forth.

Eddie inhaled a sharp breath as he could no longer bear to ignore the older boy.

"Don't!" Eddie pulled his knees up against his chest and shrunk away.

"I was gonna say..." Patrick smirked. "I'll take you upstairs... To get a drink? To take a piss? That'd help, right?"

Eddie swallowed nervously. He did have to pee... and he was really thirsty again. He needed more than just one small glass of water per day. That was probably a big reason why he felt so awful right now - because he was dangerously dehydrated.

"Come on. I'm not gonna hurt you, Kid. I'm not as bad as Henry." Patrick promised, standing up and offering his hand down.

Eddie had to force himself to trust that this wasn't a trick. It wasn't like he had a choice... If it was a trick, Patrick would just hurt him anyway. There was really no harm in believing the boy was really going to allow him a drink. He was so thirsty... So he reached up and grabbed Patrick's hand, letting the older boy pull him up to his feet.

"Damn... Henry for real beat the shit out of you..." Patrick noted as he kept his hand gripped tightly around Eddie's hands and leaned back to look at the welts covering Eddie's skin. "Only a couple of 'em are bleeding... Guess you got off easy, in a way. He could have done worse."

Eddie held his breath as Patrick led him up the stairs. "Make sure you're quiet... Henry's dad's home. Drunk as hell, so he'd probably sleep through it... But just in case... I'm not technically supposed to be here either... and I know I'll be fuckin' pissed if I get caught. I'd keep quiet if I were you."

Patrick dragged Eddie toward the bathroom, shoving him toward the toilet. He didn't turn around like Henry did.

Eddie swallowed, looking toward the toilet, then back at Patrick, who simply stood and stared. "Can you turn around at least?" He whispered.

Patrick stared down at him and smirked. He raised his eyebrows, but didn't turn away.

Frowning and looking down, Eddie tried to angle himself so Patrick couldn't see him, then flushed and made his way toward the sink, washing his hands and then cupping some water in them and drinking it. He repeated the gesture, drinking another hand-cup of water, then another, until Patrick reached over and turned the water off, grabbing Eddie's hands and backing him up against the wall.

Eddie held his breath as Patrick brought his fingertips up, brushing some droplets of water off Eddie's lips so that the younger boy gasped and shrunk back.

"Feel better?" Patrick asked, his voice low.

Eddie nodded slightly, staring with wide eyes up at Patrick, who had a weird, amused smirk on his face.

"You were really thirsty, huh?" Patrick noted.

Eddie swallowed nervously as he continued staring up at Patrick, who stared right back, still looking amused, but in a way that said he had a secret in his mind - he was amused by something that wasn't obvious to Eddie, and he knew Eddie didn't understand. Richie always did that to him... but in a way that wasn't terrifying.

Eddie winced softly, and flinched down as Patrick raised his hand back up, lightly gripping Eddie's chin and running his thumb over the boy's lower lip. Patrick parted his own lips as he stared down at his captive, running his thumb gently back and forth. Eddie didn't know what Patrick was thinking - what any of this meant exactly... but he knew enough about Patrick to know to be scared. He couldn't help the tears welling up in his eyes or the fact that his lip trembled slightly under Patrick's fingers.

"You're so scared of everything." Patrick whispered

Eddie let out a sharp breath when he felt Patrick grab his arm tighter and pull him rather hard toward him. His heart felt like it was pounding violently in his chest as Patrick dragged him along back toward the basement. He felt his breaths increasing too. He couldn't keep allowing this. He couldn't let them keep him here forever.

"Patrick, please let me go... I won't tell anyone about any of this. I promise." Eddie's voice shook. "If you just let me go now, this can all go away. We'll pretend it didn't happen. The longer this goes on, the more likely you're gonna get in trouble-"

"I fucking better not." Patrick growled, dragging Eddie harshly down the basement steps, then shoving him rather roughly so that he stumbled and fell against the floor with a shaking wince.

"I won't say anything. You won't get in trouble. I swear... If you just let me go-" Eddie stammered as he crawled backward.

"No." Patrick laughed, shaking his head and kneeling down in front of the smaller boy. "I've got no motivation at all to let you go."

Eddie shrunk down, crawling back as he shook his head.

Patrick laughed again as he grabbed Eddie's arms and dragged him back toward him. "Don't scream." Patrick whispered, pressing his arm across Eddie's throat to hold him against the wall.

Eddie choked out a fearful sob as he brought his hands up toward Patrick's arm. "Let me go! Please!" He whimpered.

"Just hold still." Patrick suggested. "I'm gonna show you something. You'll like it."

Tears filled Eddie's eyes as he shrunk down. "Please let me go home..." He whimpered.

"This won't hurt." Patrick promised. "Just calm down."

"Don't touch me!" Eddie sobbed, thrashing uselessly under Patrick's hands.

"Shhh..." Patrick chuckled, pawing around between Eddie's legs with his other hand, squeezing and groping painfully. "This'll feel good. I'll show you."

Eddie whimpered another shaking plea. "Don't touch me! Please!" He sobbed, thrashing under the older boy's hands. When Patrick only grabbed him harder, Eddie had no other choice but to scream. "Get the fuck off of me! Help! Hel-"

"Motherfucker." Patrick grumbled, dragging Eddie up to his feet and slamming his back so hard against the wall that his breath was knocked entirely out of his lungs. Patrick slapped his hand over Eddie's mouth, then leaned in close, whispering his next threats.

"If you make a fucking sound, I'm gonna take you into the woods..." Patrick started, shifting his weight to pin Eddie hard against the wall with his own body. "I'll rape you - like, really hard, for a long, long time... You can do these kinds of things slow and gentle, or fast and rough... I'll be fucking rough. I'll ram into you until blood is gushing down your legs, and I won't stop then. I'll keep going... If I get tired, I'll take a break and then come back. I won't get sick of you for a while, but the day will come that I've fucked you so much that you're basically just a limp, worn-out corpse... Then I'll kill you. I'll light you on fire. Watch you burn to death. Takes longer to die from that than you'd think."

Eddie trembled as he stared through his tears, noticing Patrick had produced a lighter from somewhere. He ignited the flame and brought it close to Eddie's face, causing the younger boy to shrink down.

"Don't make a noise, Pretty Boy. I'll hurt you so fucking bad." Patrick stared, shaking his head slightly as he grabbed Eddie's hands and pulled his fingers toward the lighter's flame.

Eddie inhaled a sharp wince and shook his head. "Don't!" He whispered, curling his fingers into fists and trying to pull his hands back. "Please..."

"You going to be good?" Patrick growled, still holding the lighter dangerously close to Eddie's fingers.

Eddie tried to pull his hand into a fist. He could feel the heat coming off the flame, but it wasn't quite to the point of burning him.

"Hm? You gonna be good and keep quiet?" Patrick asked again, pulling Eddie's hand closer to the lighter. "You gonna do what I say?"

With a trembling lip, Eddie finally nodded, squeezing his eyes shut and choking out a frightened sob. He had no choice. He either had to cooperate and hope things wouldn't be as awful as they'd be otherwise, or fight back, probably accomplish absolutely nothing, end up hurt a whole hell of a lot worse, and maybe end up dead.

**xxxxxx**


	14. Chapter 14

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**Chapter 14**

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"None of this is going to hurt you." Patrick promised in a low, way-too-calm voice as he blocked Eddie up against the wall with his arm. "So don't be scared..."

Eddie swallowed, feeling anxiety in his chest. Patrick's words were the opposite of calming. Eddie was very fucking scared. He knew there was no way anything good was going to come from this. He could feel his chest and throat tightening again as his breaths became more ragged and more painful. It was extremely clear what kind of thing Patrick wanted here. This wasn't like Henry. He wasn't just taking out rage on someone smaller and weaker than himself. He was looking for sexual gratification. He had ideas in his head of what kinds of sexual things he wanted to do, and he was unfortunately going to force Eddie to be included in them.

Patrick carefully reached out and took Eddie's hands in his own. "Henry was a lot more rough with you than he needed to be." The older boy noted, pulling Eddie's hands down toward Patrick's crotch. "It doesn't take much to get you to listen though." He noted, pressing Eddie's hands down between his legs.

Eddie gasped a shaking breath and pulled his hands back, shaking his head.

Patrick raised his eyebrows and frowned. "Thought you said you were going to cooperate."

Eddie stared, then shook his head again. "I can't..." He whispered, his voice shaking with tears. "Please don't make me..."

Patrick glared down at him. "If you don't do what I say, I'm gonna start breaking your fingers." Patrick proceeded to unzip his own pants and reach his hand inside.

Shuddering and squeezing his eyes closed, Eddie turned his head to the side and let out a shaking breath. He could feel himself starting to really panic again. His breaths were growing short. Soon he'd either need to use his inhaler, or probably pass out. He couldn't deal with this. It was hard for him to deal with regular, daily, normal scary stuff out in the world, but this? This was fucking insane. He just couldn't handle it.

"Give me a hand job..." Patrick started. "You know how to do that?"

"No." Eddie whimpered, shaking his head and pulling his hands away. He could hear his own breathing loudly in his ears. It was practically all he could hear. He was so scared.

"No, you don't know how? Or no you're refusing?" Patrick stared. "You're gonna wish you were dead if you don't do what I say..."

"I'm not doing it..." Eddie shook his head, shrinking down. He couldn't. Tears stung his eyes as he refused to look back. His breaths were becoming more and more short and shallow. He couldn't force himself to do this. He just couldn't.

"You are doing it... Or I'm gonna start breaking your fingers." He grabbed Eddie's hand, gripping a single finger and starting to twist.

"Please don't!" Eddie sobbed, trying to pull his hand away, unable to bring himself to open his eyes. Not when he saw what Patrick was doing just before he closed them. He saw Patrick unzipping his pants, reaching inside. He didn't want to see that. He didn't want to touch it.

"Then you've gotta do what I fucking say." Patrick let go of Eddie's finger and slapped his hand. "Open your eyes, get your hands down here, and jerk off my dick." He demanded, grabbing Eddie's hands again and pulling them toward him.

"NO!" Eddie wheezed, tugging his arms back and shrinking down as small as he could.

"Now, Girly Boy, or you're gonna get hurt." Patrick huffed, grabbing toward Eddie's hands again as the younger boy pulled them protectively against his chest.

Eddie exhaled a shaking breath as he turned his face toward the window, opening his eyes and staring up and out. He had to get out of here. Cooperating wasn't working. He was just going to end up having to suffer until they accidentally killed him if he didn't act soon. He had to take some sort of control here.

So he yanked his hands down sharply, pulling out of Patrick's grip before shoving against his chest as hard as he could. He proceeded to dart toward the window, climbing quickly up onto the shelf and reaching toward the ledge, starting to pull himself up.

He let out a panicked sob as Patrick grabbed him, pulling him back so hard that he landed against the floor with a pained, breathless wince.

"You stupid, little sack of shit..." Patrick growled, dragging Eddie up to his knees by his hair as the smaller boy hissed in pain. He kept a hand tangled harshly in the younger boy's hair and pulled his head back. "You won't use your hands? Fine. Open up, you little prick. And don't bite me." He threatened. "Or I'll cut your fucking throat. I don't care if you're alive or dead. I'll still do this. Probably be easier for me to fuck your mouth if you're dead anyway."

Eddie shrunk down as he couldn't help but to sob uncontrollably. He vaguely heard Patrick trying to speak, but couldn't hear his words over his own breathless gasps. He was so scared, and in so much pain. "Please let me go!" Eddie cried.

Patrick was still trying to talk, but Eddie couldn't get himself to stop crying. His breaths were so short and frantic. He felt like he might pass out.

"You're gonna wake up Henry's dad, you dumbfuck." Patrick growled, grabbing Eddie up off the floor and pushing him harshly against the wall, face-first. He pressed one hand over the smaller boy's mouth, crushing painfully against his face as he pulled the boy back against his chest.

"I was gonna let you off easy... I realize you're tiny, that you probably haven't done much of this kind of thing before... I was gonna do this so I didn't hurt you... But you're being a little piece of shit... Just hold still and shut the fuck up for ten minutes." Patrick growled, shoving Eddie roughly up against the wall again and grabbing at the waist of his shorts with his free hand.

Eddie let out a terrified, muffled whimper as he tried to shake his head. At the very least he just wanted to be able to scream - maybe his last hope was Henry or his dad hearing him and doing something to stop Patrick. Eddie didn't know for sure what either of them would do... but as long as it wasn't a violent death, it couldn't get worse.

"I wasn't going to hurt you." Patrick growled again, holding his hand hard over Eddie's face as he pulled his head back against his chest. "You just had to give me a hand job... That wouldn't have hurt you even a little, you little brat. You wouldn't do it, so I suggested a blow job. Still wouldn't have hurt. I kept going easy on you... But you wouldn't cooperate... So I'm gonna have to do it this way. And it's gonna be very fucking painful."

Reaching up with shaking hands, Eddie grabbed at Patrick's arm, letting out a shaking sob stifled by the older boy's hand.

"You could try to relax... but there's no way this isn't gonna really, really fucking hurt you." Patrick breathed, using his free hand to yank Eddie's shorts and underwear halfway down his thighs.

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and sobbed a terrified cry, suppressed by Patrick's bruising hand. He wheezed pained, frantic breaths through the tiny cracks between the older boy's fingers as he felt Patrick kick one of his ankles, causing him to stumble slightly.

"It's good for me though." Patrick breathed, reaching down and putting one of his hands on Eddie's inner thigh, forcing his leg further to the side. "I want it to hurt you. I like it that way."

Eddie shook his head and continued sobbing. This was absolutely the last thing he wanted to happen - and until today, he hadn't even considered it a possibility. None of the Bowers gang ever did anything like this - not to him. He always thought they reserved this kind of horror for girls... or in most of their cases - they just didn't do this kind of thing to anyone.

"I really would have preferred your mouth, you know." Patrick told him as he held him against the wall. He felt Patrick moving his arm behind him, maybe rubbing himself? Eddie didn't know. He'd never had sex before. He didn't know how it worked - not the specifics. He just knew he felt Patrick moving behind him, whatever he was doing, it wasn't being done to Eddie. He was doing something to himself. "I haven't stopped thinking about that since the thing with the gun..." Patrick noted, his breaths becoming quicker.

Eddie whimpered and flinched, trying to pull himself away, but finding that he was very much trapped.

"I never would have thought about it..." Patrick breathed, still moving his arm rhythmically behind Eddie. "But seeing you choking on that gun..." He paused. "I wanted to fuck your little mouth so bad... Your tiny, warm, soft lips, that wet little tongue, gagging as Henry shoved that gun into your mouth. I could see your spit on it, slicking it up." Patrick spoke slowly. "I wanted that gun to be my dick."

Choking out a breathless, muffled sob, Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and struggled uselessly under Patrick's grip. The older boy had him pinned so securely. He really couldn't move at all.

"It would have easier on both of us if you just agreed to the blow job..." Patrick noted, sliding his hand back and forth behind Eddie. "I actually haven't done this before - not like this... I bet it'll be good though. For me at least." He laughed.

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut tighter and pulled his legs closer together. He could feel some part of Patrick's skin on his lower back. Hopefully his hand or arm. As his breaths increased under Patrick's hand, Eddie was certain he wasn't going to stay conscious during this. It was probably for the best. At least if he passed out, he wouldn't have to be aware of what Patrick was doing to him.

"You're gonna wish you just gave me the hand job..." Patrick whispered, running his hand down Eddie's back, across his butt, and down over his upper thigh.

"Patrick!" Henry's voice hissed angrily as Eddie heard his feet quickly making his way down the basement stairs. He didn't know whether to be relieved or not. Would Henry even stop Patrick from doing this? Would he think it was funny. Would he do the same thing once Patrick was done? Maybe they'd take turns hurting him while the other one watched and laughed.

Eddie kept his eyes squeezed shut as he whimpered from his place pressed firmly and painfully against the wall. He couldn't look. He couldn't open his eyes. He could barely even breathe. He just wanted to be gone. He wanted both of these terrifying bullies away from him forever. He would have rather been with the clown.

Eddie sobbed harder as he realized he honestly wished he would have let the clown take him. He didn't know what that would have meant for him - what the clown would have done to him, if it would have hurt, if it would have lasted a long time or not... But it couldn't possibly be worse than this. He should have just told Pennywise yes. He should have begged him to take him out of here.

"Give me five minutes, Bowers." Patrick growled, his voice clearly annoyed as he put his hand back on Eddie's thigh and roughly grabbed his upper arm with his other hand, squeezing painfully.

"Please make him stop!" Eddie cried breathlessly once Patrick's hand no longer stifled his voice. He let out a shaking moan as Patrick shoved him hard against the wall, knocking what little breath he had in his lungs out. "Make him stop, Henry..." Eddie whimpered, choking out shaking sobs and quick, shallow breaths. "I'll d-do anything... Henry, I'll do anything..." He sobbed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Patrick?" Henry sounded disgusted as he walked closer, seemingly trying to pull his friend back, but Patrick remained firmly planted in place, shoving his friend away and moving his attention back to Eddie.

"I'll be quick, Henry. Go upstairs if you don't like it." Patrick breathed. "You should really just stop being a prude and let me do this, then take a turn yourself though. It's gonna feel fuckin' awesome. This is like a million times better than jacking yourself off."

Eddie sobbed as he felt Patrick's hands grip him even harder and push him painfully against the wall. The older boy kicked his ankle again as Eddie had moved it back. Eddie squeezed his eyes shut even tighter than they already had been as he wheezed increasingly strained breaths. He wasn't going to last much longer. He was barely managing to get any oxygen at all...

"Hold still, you little fucker." Patrick breathed, crushing Eddie's body painfully between himself and the wall. "Cry all you want. Just hold the fuck still."

"God damn it, Patrick. Fucking stop. Go home." Henry growled, grabbing his friend harder and pulling him back so that Eddie sunk down breathlessly to the floor.

Eddie let out a fearful shriek and flinched away as he felt Patrick's hand on his arm, but Henry quickly pulled his friend back again. "Go home, Pat. This kid is fuckin' thirteen years old... and he looks like he's god damned eight. It's like four thirty in the morning. My dad's gonna fuckin' kill all three of us if he hears this shit. Go."

"Why'd we fucking bring him here?" Patrick growled, but didn't move to grab Eddie again. He must have respected Henry's orders on some level, even if he did want to argue with him about it.

"Not that." Henry spat back. "You fuckin faggot. Get out of here before I tell everyone at school that you get off on fucking little boys up the ass."

"Fuck you, Henry." Patrick shoved Henry's shoulder and stomped toward the stairs. "You're the one being a fag. I'm just trying to have fun. You're the one treating him like your little fucking' pet." He stared directly at Eddie. "He's got a real fucked up infatuation with you, kid, so have fun."

"Get the fuck out, Patrick!" Henry screamed again, balling his hands into fists and moving toward Eddie. "Get up." Henry growled, grabbing Eddie roughly by his arm and dragging him painfully up off the floor.

Eddie couldn't even bring himself to speak at this point. He felt so disoriented, scared, in pain. He could barely breathe. His vision was clouded grey at the edges and he honestly felt like he could pass out at any moment. He didn't know what Henry was going to do to him. The clown had suggested Henry might do the same things Patrick tried... Would he? Henry himself said he wouldn't... but he did almost do it before. Patrick just made some kind of scary comments about it too. What had all that meant?

"I'm so fucking sick of him." Henry growled, yanking Eddie hard by his arm.

Eddie sobbed, shaking his head as he tried to shrink down. "Don't hurt me... Please just let me go..." He whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut until he felt Henry's hands on his legs, grabbing at his shorts which Patrick had previously pulled down past his knees. "No!" Eddie sobbed, flinching away. "Don't touch me!"

Henry exhaled a frustrated growl and held Eddie tighter by his arm, tugging his shorts back up before shoving the boy rather roughly back against the wall.

"Let me go! I wanna go home!" Eddie sobbed, his breaths becoming more and more panicked with each passing second. He felt so light-headed, but also so frantic and full of adrenaline that he couldn't stop screaming and fighting. "I wanna go home! I wanna go home! Please!" He cried.

"Shut up." Henry growled, shoving his hand against Eddie's mouth as he pressed the smaller boy painfully up against the wall. "My dad can't hear you, or you and I are both fucked... Just shut up."

Eddie whimpered a muffled cry, trying to agree to stay quiet... though he really couldn't guarantee it. He was completely terrified, and he could barely breathe. This was the worst situation he'd ever experienced in his whole life.

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	15. Chapter 15

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**Chapter 15**

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Henry breathed in and out shaking, angry breaths as he held Eddie against the wall with a hard hand over the boy's lips. Wide, dark eyes stared back at him as Eddie shivered and wheezed very painful-sounding breaths.

Henry's breaths almost sounded as bad as Eddie's, but the two boys were out of breath for two very different reasons. Henry was furious, pissed off at Patrick for taking what was supposed to be a kind of funny joke in a really dark, really sick direction. Henry couldn't have claimed that he himself wasn't capable of some pretty twisted, harsh, cruel things... But raping a thirteen year old boy? Even Henry wouldn't stoop that low.

The boy's labored breathing was from something else entirely. Eddie was completely terrified, traumatized, hurt, probably having an asthma attack.

Hopefully Patrick hadn't actually succeeded in raping the kid. How the hell could Henry know? It didn't seem like he'd actually done it. It looked like he almost had - like he was ten seconds away from doing it... But how the hell could Henry know what Patrick did before he got there? Maybe he'd been in the basement for a long time. Maybe he was repeating something he'd already done earlier...

Henry didn't even know Patrick was at his house, and certainly didn't know how long he'd been here. The other boy had gone home hours ago. He must have snuck back after Henry and his dad went to bed... He had probably been planning this all day - ever since the weird thing with the gun. Henry should have known to be more careful after that. He knew Patrick got some kind of really sick, twisted thrill out of it.

Exhaling tiredly, Henry moved his hand off of Eddie's mouth, mostly so he could maybe breathe better, but also so he could talk - as long as he didn't scream. Henry needed answers. He wanted to know what actually happened. For some reason he needed to know that he had gotten here in time to stop Patrick from doing what he was clearly doing... He wanted to know that Patrick hadn't actually done it.

Eddie squeezed his tear-filled eyes closed as Henry grabbed onto his upper-arms to steady him. His breaths were still shaky and quick, completely panicked. It reminded Henry of a four year old having a complete emotional meltdown. It kind of made him mad... He wanted to slap the kid and tell him to fucking grow up and get over it...

But then, Patrick had just had him pinned to the wall, trying to sexually assault him - maybe he even already did. Eddie was tiny, weak, scared of everything around him. He had a pretty damn good reason to be scared of Patrick, to feel terrified and overwhelmed right now. But Patrick was gone. All that was over and done. He was going to be fine now.

"You're okay." Henry frowned. "Stop whining... Did he hurt you?"

"I d-" Eddie gasped, breathing in a shaky, wheezing breath and shrinking down. "Can't br-" He cut himself off with more pained coughing as he moved his hands up toward his throat. Tears rolled down the boy's cheeks as he squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled and exhaled short, gravely breaths.

"Calm down." Henry stared, squeezing his hands tighter around Eddie's arms and shaking him slightly. "Stop fucking crying. Take a god damned breath and stop freaking out. He's gone. You don't have to fucking panic anymore. Just calm down and breathe. I'm trying to fucking talk to you."

Eddie shook his head and let out another choking whimper as more tears streamed down his cheeks.

"He's gone. You're fuckin' fine. Just breathe and stop being a baby." Henry stared. What was so hard about that?

"I-" Eddie choked, closing his eyes and shaking his head again as his labored breaths seemed to be preventing him from speaking. "K-keep him away..." He managed between shaking gasps. "Please... Keep h-him away fr-from me..." His tiny voice trembled so much Henry could barely even hear or understand him.

"I am. He's gone..." Henry glared down at the kid. "What'd he do though?"

Eddie shook his head and choked out another breathless sob.

"Did he rape you?" Henry asked rather bluntly. It wasn't like he was going to be able to do anything about it if he did... He didn't know why it mattered to him. He was already mad at Patrick anyway, and Eddie was just some dumb, weak little runt. He didn't care what happened to this kid...

Eddie wheezed in a shaking breath as he shook his head and stumbled back slightly. He seemed pretty disoriented at the moment. His eyes were slightly unfocused and his breaths were not getting any more even. Henry wasn't even sure if he could take that little head-shake as an answer. Eddie seemed so out of it, so distracted by his own self and his current inability to breathe.

Henry narrowed his eyes and frowned as he stared down at the boy. Eddie looked so fucking scared - in a way that was for some reason more sad than funny. Henry didn't understand how the hell he felt bad about this right now, but he did.

Why did he care what Patrick did? He hated this kid. He wanted to hurt him. That's why he brought him here... He wanted to embarrass, humiliate, and hurt this little prick. If Patrick raped him, then... that's what Henry wanted, right? He saw Eddie this morning, looking sweet and innocent and protected, and he wanted to make him suffer. So why did he feel so bad? Why was he worried about what Patrick did or didn't do? He didn't like Eddie at all. He'd thought about what it would be like if he had a brother like Eddie - someone to look after, to mentor, to protect... But Eddie wasn't his brother. He was just some dumb worthless kid.

"I c- I can't..." Eddie squeezed his eyes shut as he stumbled back against the wall, pressing his bound hands up against this chest and wheezing painfully. "I can't breathe..." He whimpered.

Henry frowned. "I can see that... You gonna be alright though?" He asked. He couldn't have this kid dying here in his dad's basement... Especially not now. If Patrick did do anything to him, the police might be able to tell - and he was in Henry's basement. Not Patrick's. They cops would see that the kid had been raped and would blame Henry for it. Everyone would think Henry was a creep child-rapist.

"I don't kn-" Eddie coughed. He wheezed another shaking, weak breath, squeezing his eyes shut again. The boy's shoulders shook as he choked out breathless sobs. "I ca-" He cut himself off with another pained half-breath.

"You've gotta try, kid..." Henry shook his head and shrugged. "I can't do it for you... Stop crying. You're fucking yourself all up. Get your inhaler out... That's what it's for, right?" He furrowed his brow. Why wasn't Eddie just doing this without Henry having to explain it. Eddie knew how to use his inhaler. He saw this dumb little runt using his inhaler all the time. He was so god damned overly dependent on it - probably using it when he didn't even need to 90% of the time.

Eddie choked out a shaking sob and let himself sink down to the floor as he shook his head. "I can't breathe." He said again, fumbling toward the dumb little fanny pack he always wore. It was kind of a miracle the thing was still there around his waist after all this. Patrick must not have minded that it was there.

Henry rolled his eyes as he noticed Eddie having quite a bit of trouble managing to grab the zipper of his fanny pack. The poor kid's hands were shaking so badly he couldn't even manage to grip it, and his breaths were only becoming more and more difficult, more and more shaky. He was probably going to actually pass out if he didn't figure this out soon. Henry didn't want the kid dying down here - not on his watch.

With another exhale, Henry slapped Eddie's hands away and pulled the zipper open himself, grabbing the inhaler out and moving it up toward Eddie's face. "Here." He offered, pressing the mouth-piece up against the boy's lips.

"No!" Eddie gasped, turning his face to the side and choking out a tiny sob as he reached up toward the inhaler with trembling hands.

"You're gonna fucking die, dumbass." Henry growled, grabbing toward Eddie's face and shoving the inhaler toward his lips again.

"No! Please!" Eddie sobbed, shaking his head and pushing the inhaler away.

"Fine, dumbfuck. Go ahead and fucking die." Henry stood up, throwing the inhaler roughly at Eddie's chest. It bounced off and hit the floor, then Eddie grabbed desperately for it.

Henry felt his own breaths growing faster as he glared down at the kid fumbling with the inhaler, dropping it and choking out a defeated sob before grabbing at it again. Henry was trying to help him... but Eddie was being a little bitch and wouldn't let him. It kind of made Henry want to stomp down on the inhaler and destroy it. Maybe break Eddie's dumb little fingers while he was at it.

With shaking hands, Eddie brought the inhaler back up toward his mouth. The boy leaned his head slightly back as he continued gasping short, wheezing breaths and let his hand fall back down into his lap before even taking a puff of the medicine. His eyelids fluttered and he choked another shaking sob. "I can't..." He gasped. "H-help me..."

Henry shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I was trying to help you." He breathed, still trying to keep his rage from bubbling up. He kind of wanted to punch this kid and shove the inhaler down his fucking throat... But that would be taking things too far.

"C-cant br-breathe..." Eddie wheezed, feeling with his hands in his lap, where he'd let the inhaler fall.

"Let me help you then, dumbass." Henry growled, snatching the inhaler and shoving it into Eddie's mouth. "That's what I was trying to do. Ready?"

Eddie let out a tiny, choked noise and nodded his head as he squeezed his eyes shut. Tears streamed silently down his cheeks.

Henry pressed down the inhaler's trigger and watched and listened as Eddie inhaled the medicine, coughing lightly as he immediately turned his head to face away as he reached his trembling fingers up to grab the object.

"Please..." Eddie rasped, choking out more shaking sobs.

"Please what?" Henry let go of the inhaler and shoved Eddie's shoulder. "You fucking okay now?" He glared.

Eddie breathed in a few slow, shaky breaths and allowed himself one more puff from the inhaler before putting it back into the fanny pack, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. He continued breathing in and out slowly, each breath trembling a little less than the last.

"So... Did Patrick do it or not?" Henry stared.

Eddie opened his eyes, blinking tiredly up at Henry, but remaining silent. After a moment, his lip started to shake as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Did he?" Henry swallowed.

Still not answering, Eddie brought his hands up to his mouth as his tears started to spill over. Without another word, he began to choke out pained, frantic sobs.

Henry exhaled, grabbing Eddie's upper arm and pulling him slightly out of his defensive ball, forcing the boy to look at him. "Did he do it?" He asked again. "I'm fucking serious. Tell me."

"H-he didn't..." Eddie cried, shaking his head as he drew his knees up to his chest.

Henry frowned as he stared down at the kid. Patrick didn't do it... So why was Eddie sobbing like this?

"What's wrong with you then?" Henry stared.

Eddie suddenly stared back, sniffing back a sob, but honestly looking a lot more mad than scared or sad now. He shook his head as he stared angrily up at Henry. "Are you fucking kidding me?" He whispered.

Henry couldn't help but to smile as he let out a small laugh. "He didn't fucking rape you... So shut up and get over it."

"He tried to, you fucking asshole!" Eddie's voice shook like someone who had a really bad cough. "You've both been beating me up, pulling my pants down, choking me... threatening to kill me, threatening to f-" He cut himself off with a shaking sob, followed by a trembling whisper. "Th-threatening to fu-fucking rape me..." He finally broke down completely, pulling his legs back up against his chest again and sobbing painful, heartbroken sobs.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Henry watched the kid with a frown. He wanted to think this was funny. He wanted to feel like he'd accomplished what he wanted - this kid was completely terrified. He and Patrick hurt him, like they wanted to. They embarrassed him, scared the fuck out of him. It was funny. It's what they did all the time to younger, smaller, weaker kids. He was getting the reaction he wanted - fear, anger, crying, fighting back in a way that was embarrassing for the kid and not for him... This is exactly what he wanted - so why wasn't it funny? Why did he feel like a complete piece of shit?

"I w-" Eddie cut himself off with a shaky, tearful breath. "I want to- to go home..." He sobbed. "Please let me go home!" He whimpered. "I'm sc-scared..." He cried, hiding his face with his hands and shrinking down into a smaller ball than he had already curled into. "Y-you win, okay? I suck. I'm a worthless, weak little piece of nothing... Y-you guys win... Will you just stop? Please!?"

Henry grimaced as he stared down at the kid. What if Henry did have a little brother - one who was tiny and weak and vulnerable like this? Henry wondered if he could love someone like that - if he would even like his brother if he had one. Would he protect his little brother, or would he resent him? Allow people like Patrick and Henry's dad to hurt him?

Henry never cared about anyone but himself. He kind of felt like he didn't have space to. He was too busy making sure his own self was okay. How could be protect someone else when he couldn't even keep his dad from beating the shit out of him every day? How could Henry afford to care if some kid got abused when he couldn't even keep himself safe?

Maybe that's when this stopped being funny for him though - when he started reminding himself of everyone who ever hurt him in his life. When Patrick did too... Henry looked down at Eddie and saw himself - himself from a very long time ago, but still himself. Henry beat Eddie, threatened him, made him feel weak... just like Henry's father did to Henry. Patrick grabbed Eddie and tried to assault him just like Henry's dad's friend had done to Henry all those years ago.

When that happened - when his dad's friend grabbed him like that, threatened to hurt him if he told, demanded more... Henry was scared. He felt weak and somehow responsible, like being so small and defenseless was the reason it happened - like he should have done something to protect himself before the man ever got a chance to even try anything.

Just like Eddie now, Henry hadn't merely shrugged it off and moved on. He cried afterwards. His dad seemed angry about it - more at his friend than at Henry, but still seemed sort of mad at his son too. He remembered his dad telling him to stop crying... to not talk about this to anyone, ever... Like somehow it was Henry's fault that it happened - that he should be ashamed by it. Henry was still bothered by the whole thing, and it wasn't even as violent as what Patrick had just done. Of course Eddie was upset.

Maybe if his dad had been more supportive, if he hadn't made Henry feel like he was partially to blame... if he had been loving instead of angry, if he hadn't taken out his anger and frustration on his son for years, Henry wouldn't be like this today. Maybe Henry would have had the potential to be kind and caring if he just hadn't been born into this. He was like Eddie once - young, innocent, small... No one protected him. No one showed him any mercy. No one was kind or understanding. No one seemed to feel bad about any of it.

"You're fine..." Henry spoke, his voice low and uncertain as he frowned down at the shaking, sobbing boy.

"I'm not..." Eddie whimpered. "I'm not fine... I'm scared. I wanna g-go home."

Henry licked his lips as he squatted down in front of the boy.

Eddie shook his head and shrunk back. "Please don't do anything else..." He whispered, his lower lip trembling and his eyes shining with tears. "Don't hurt me anymore. Don't let Patrick near me again... Please... I just want to go home."

"Get up." Henry ordered, grabbing the boy's upper-arms and dragging him to his feet.

"Why?" Eddie breathed. He was visibly shaking, obviously still very scared.

Henry shook his head in frustration with himself, Patrick, Eddie, and this whole damn situation. He had to put an end to this before things got further out of his control.

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	16. Chapter 16

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**Chapter 16**

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Eddie stared nervously up at Henry, who looked a strange combination of angry and nervous as he held onto Eddie's arms in tight fists.

He contemplated trying to shrug his arms out of the older boy's grip or asking Henry to let go, but he supposed it wasn't that painful, and he was honestly scared to say or do anything at this point. Henry wasn't actively threatening him or hurting him in a way that was significant, so he figured he should just be glad and keep his mouth shut.

"We're leaving..." Henry breathed.

Eddie inhaled a sharp breath as the older boy grabbed his wrist and started dragging him toward the stairs. "What?" Eddie breathed, feeling suddenly very nervous. Why were they leaving? Where were they going? "Henry, wait..." He stammered, not sure if he wanted to leave or not... He didn't know what it meant. Did leaving meant he got to go home, or did it mean something horrible as going to happen to him?

"Just shut up and come on." Henry growled, pulling Eddie along up the stairs.

"Where-" Eddie started to ask.

With a small growl, Henry tugged Eddie back and clamped his hand back down over the younger boy's mouth, staring angrily down at him. "If I let you ride up front, do you promise not to try anything stupid?" He asked. "No trying to escape or fighting or screaming or anything fucking stupid."

Eddie swallowed nervously, staring with wide eyes.

"Otherwise you're riding in the trunk." Henry stared, slowly moving his hand up off of Eddie's mouth. "Probably knocked the fuck out too. Don't try my fucking patience right now."

"I won't try anything..." Eddie breathed, shaking his head quickly.

"Good. Stay quiet. If my dad hears you, you're dead." Henry dragged Eddie by his hands up the stairs and quietly out of the house. He shoved him into the passenger seat of his car and climbed in the other side.

"Do I get to go home?" Eddie whispered as Henry started driving. His chest felt cold. He was shivering, both from having his shirt taken from him and from being completely terrified. Henry was being weird. All day he was weird - both more violent than usual and more friendly. It scared Eddie quite a bit just witnessing and experiencing how unpredictable Henry could be... Had the older boy lost what was left of his sanity? Was he going to take this as far as murder? Was that where this was heading? Did he want Eddie out of his house so he could violently kill him and not have to clean up the mess and the evidence as much?

None of this made sense. Henry was so violent, beating Eddie, choking him, shoving a gun in his mouth, forcing him to drink alcohol, threatening to rape him... and then he was more careful, more human, telling Eddie he wished he had a brother, sort of confiding in Eddie about his dad and his dad's former friend... even helping Eddie with his inhaler.

It was impossible to tell what the older boy was thinking - if he wanted to be decent or wanted to be horrible. Every time Henry approached him, Eddie had to wonder if he was going to act like a normal person or if he was going to do something violent and cruel. There was no way to accurately guess.

"Henry, are you taking me home?" Eddie asked again. "Please? Please take me home..." His voice started to shake as tears stung at his eyes.

Henry ignored him and kept driving.

"Where are we going?" Eddie tried again, feeling his heart pounding faster and faster. Why wasn't the older boy answering? Why wouldn't he just tell him? It had to be something horrible, right? Or he'd just say it...

"Are-" Eddie felt tears pooling in his eyes as a breath in his throat made him pause. "A-are you taking me to the woods?" He stammered, feeling his chest growing tight. Henry had told him if he tried to escape again, that was what was going to happen. That he was going to take him in the woods, let Patrick hurt him... and then kill him. He just saved him from Patrick... He just helped him use his inhaler so he wouldn't suffocate and die. Now he was going to take him out and kill him? Why would he do this? But what else could he be doing? If he was going to let Eddie go, why not just say so?

"You are, aren't you? Y-you're taking me to the woods... t-to kill me..." He whispered, shrinking down in the seat.

Henry still didn't answer.

Eddie felt his heart pounding in his chest as his breaths became more quick and shallow. He couldn't just sit quietly and allow this. He couldn't just lay low like he usually did. Henry was going to actually kill him this time - maybe let Patrick hurt him horribly first. His usual tactics of just quietly tolerating smaller abuses until he was left alone weren't going to cut it. He had to fight back - fight for his life.

"You can't, Henry... You have to let me go!" Eddie gasped. "I didn't try to escape... I didn't do anything!" He pleaded, hearing his voice shake with unshed tears. He really didn't... He wanted to try to escape, but he didn't. Maybe that was stupid and naive. Maybe he should have just gone for the window any chance he got... But he believed Henry when he said he would hurt him, kill him if he tried it... so he didn't. Not until Patrick started trying to molest him.

Eddie felt his breaths increasing again as he started to panic. "I did what you said! I stayed down there, and I didn't try to leave. I didn't even take the tape off my hands." He lifted his hands up to show him. His wrists had been painfully taped together for hours. "I didn't do anything! Patrick just showed up and started hurting me... I didn't-"

"Shut up." Henry finally growled, glaring toward Eddie for a moment before putting his eyes back on the road.

Eddie brought his hands up to his face and choked out a pained, frightened sob. Maybe Henry knew that Eddie tried to get out of the window again while Patrick was down there... Maybe the whole thing with Patrick was a setup - to trick him into disobeying so Henry could have a reason to kill him.

"Shut up!" Henry yelled again, reaching over and slapping Eddie's arm.

The smaller boy flinched back, but couldn't stop crying. "I don't wanna die..." He sobbed, shrinking back against the door, contemplating opening it and taking his chances. "I was just scared... I wasn't going to try to escape again. I did what you said! But Patrick was hurting me... I just wanted him to stop..."

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up." Henry growled, staring angrily toward Eddie for a moment before looking back in front of him at the road.

No one was out right now. It was still dark, but maybe almost turning light. Now that Eddie was outside, he couldn't tell if the sun was coming up or if it was just moon light. Henry had said something about it being four in the morning. That was too early for the sun to rise.

"Please let me go!" Eddie sobbed. "I won't say anything to anyone! About any of this! You never touched me. Patrick didn't either... I didn't hear you fighting with your dad or anything. Everything you said, everything you did... I forgot already... I'll say I got lost in the woods. I promise! I'll keep it all to myself. No one ever has-"

The younger boy suddenly flinched and whimpered a frightened breath as Henry reached across the seat and grabbed his arm, squeezing it in a tight, bruising fist.

"Be quiet. Or I'll stab you in the throat." Henry growled. "I mean now. Be quiet now. Shut your mouth. Stop making noise. Don't fucking say another word while you're in this car."

Pressing his lips together, Eddie brought his hands up over his mouth to keep himself quiet, but couldn't stop shivering or softly whimpering. He tried to focus out the window instead of on his fears. Everything was so dark... If Henry chose to kill him, no one would see it... He could probably kill him right here in the street.

Eddie stared down through blurry, tear-filled eyes at the floor board of the car as he breathed in and out shaking, tearful breaths. He wondered if these would be the last breaths he'd ever take, if the last scenes his eyes would ever see were the inside of this car, Henry or Patrick stabbing or drowning him... Maybe even shooting him.

Glancing back up and out his window, Eddie noticed more trees now... the road was becoming less manicured. It was rocky, dirty... Henry was taking him into the woods.

Eddie's vision blurred further with tears as he shook his head and sniffed back sobs. "Don't let Patrick..." He trailed off, pulling his feet up into the seat and pressing his knees against his chest. He knew Henry told him not to talk, but he couldn't just not argue his case. He couldn't quietly allow his life to end like this. "Please don't let him hurt me..." Eddie shook his head and choked out another small sob.

"I already made him leave, dumbfuck. He's not here." Henry growled as he pulled the car up near an old, half-collapsed house.

Eddie glanced over at Henry, then out his own window. The woods were thick... It was dark... If he jumped out and started running, he might be able to get lost enough that even Henry couldn't find him.

Without a second thought, Eddie reached out and pulled the door open, jumping out and starting to sprint toward the trees.

"God damn it..." Henry growled, opening his door and sprinting after him. "You're just gonna get yourself hurt, you little fucker!" He threatened.

Eddie didn't yell anything back. He had to focus only on outrunning his captor. He had to get away. He was going to die otherwise. Henry was going to kill him if Eddie didn't outrun him. He had to get away.

"No!" Eddie sobbed as he felt Henry grab onto his arms and pull him down to the ground in a rough tackle. "Get off of me!" He screamed, thrashing, kicking and swinging his bound arms as much as possible.

"Stop moving." Henry growled, pressing a hard hand against Eddie's throat.

Eddie choked a broken, pained breath and squeezed his eyes shut and as Henry gripped his neck harder. He felt tears running down his cheeks as he clawed uselessly at the older boy's hand. He couldn't breathe... Not even a little.

Just when he was sure Henry was actually going to kill him, the older boy eased up, dragging Eddie toward a nearby tree and pushing him roughly up against it. Eddie's back hurt as Henry shoved him hard against the tree's bark, but he was more scared than he was in pain.

"Please, no..." Eddie whimpered. He didn't know for sure what Henry was planning to do... He just knew he was scared. He didn't want to die. Even if Patrick wasn't going to hurt him first, Eddie still didn't want to die.

"You're so fucking frustrating." Henry growled. "I wanna beat the shit out of you..."

Eddie whimpered, coughing painfully as he shook his head. He gasped as Henry grabbed him, easily throwing him over his shoulder and carrying him back toward the car.

Eddie wasn't sure what was happening anymore as Henry opened the door to the back seat and grabbed something, then carried Eddie back toward the tree, putting him down so that he could stand on his own, then shoving his back against the rough bark and holding him there with a hard hand against his chest.

"Henry, I won't say anything if you just let me go... I'll tell everyone I got lost... You can leave me right here and I can find my own way back... I probably really will get lost, so it won't even be a lie..." Eddie breathed.

Henry ignored him as he took a rope - which must have been what he just retrieved from his car - and wound it around both the tree and Eddie, tightly fastening him to the trunk.

Eddie felt his breaths quicken, but he forced himself to hold still. Fighting back and attempting to run hadn't worked out for him thus far. He hoped Henry wasn't tying him here so he'd hold still while the older boy stabbed him or something.

After tying the rope very securely, Henry grabbed the all-too-familiar roll of duct tape out of his pocket, tearing off a piece and pressing it over Eddie's lips.

Eddie stared with wide, scared eyes up at Henry as the older boy stared back, frowning. "Don't you fucking say anything about any of this." The older boy growled. "To anyone. Ever." He emphasized.

Eddie nodded quickly, promising to keep quiet.

"I mean it." Henry growled, reaching out and squeezing Eddie's upper arm in a fist. "I'll kill you. And I'll kill your little fucking friends. So you just shut up about all this. Don't even tell them. Kids go missing around here every day. No one will ever know it was me if you force me to kill all of you. So don't say anything."

Just as quick as before, Eddie nodded again, letting a muffled sound of approval past the tape covering his mouth.

"None of this happened. If you've got to explain the tape, or the marks on your back. Bruises... Whatever... Make something up. Some creep kiddie rapist stole you for a day and beat the shit out of you. Alright?" Henry stared.

Eddie swallowed nervously, nodding as he stared with huge, wide eyes.

"Good. See you around." Henry waved.

Eddie felt tears pricking his eyes as Henry walked back to his car. If his mouth weren't taped, maybe Eddie would have yelled after him, asked him if he was really going to just leave Eddie out here all alone...

He wanted to be let go... but this really wasn't what he had in mind. Now he had a whole different set of problems. He was tied to a tree - in the woods... It was cold and dark and no one knew he was here. What if he couldn't get free? What if he starved to death out here? Or suffocated when he couldn't reach his inhaler if he needed it? Or maybe a wild animal would find him and attack him.

Eddie's heart actually felt like it was sinking as he watched Henry drive away...

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	17. Chapter 17

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**Chapter 17**

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Blinking up at the sky, Eddie shrunk down as soon as he started feeling cold, wet drops hitting his skin. Of course it would happen to finally rain when he was literally tied to a tree outside in the dark. It was already cold too, even before the rain.

This was just his luck... Not only was he cold and injured, hungry, thirsty, scared, sort of dizzy and disoriented by this point... tied uncomfortably to a tree in the middle of the dark woods... but now on top of all that, he was going to be all wet.

Closing his eyes and exhaling tiredly, Eddie shifted under the ropes, trying to loosen them. They were tied really, really securely around him, forcing the angry red welts on his back to press painfully against the hard, scratchy bark of the tree. He could barely even manage to struggle by this point either. He felt so drained. Every movement was an uphill battle.

With a painful swallow, Eddie blinked his eyes back open and stared ahead into the darkness when he swore he heard something moving in the distance. Leaves rustling, twigs snapping.

Eddie let out a small, muffled noise under the tape as he narrowed his eyes, trying to see what might be making the noise. He hoped it wasn't a dangerous wild animal... He hoped it wasn't anything else either though.

Eddie flinched, and would have screamed too if his mouth weren't taped, when he saw the clown pop out from behind a distant tree. The frightening man grinned wide and waved a very small, very subtle wave.

Shaking his head, Eddie pressed himself further back against the tree. He squeezed his eyes shut. This couldn't be real... The clown wasn't real, right? It couldn't hurt him... But it hurt Georgie... And Betty Ripsom...

When after a minute, nothing happened, Eddie opened his eyes again, staring out into the darkness. The clown wasn't there. Nothing was. Maybe he was imagining it... Maybe all the stress was making him see things that weren't really there. Maybe the clown wasn't there in the basement earlier either.

He almost believed that... until the terrifying creature popped out from behind a different tree - a closer tree. He was still smiling, perhaps an even wider grin now, blinking slow, weird blinks, maybe trying to be creepy in how bizarre the entire appearance of him was.

With a sharp wince, Eddie shook his head and pressed his back painfully against the tree he was tied to. He couldn't exactly distance himself from this thing... He couldn't move. He couldn't even speak to ask it to leave or to call uselessly for help.

Eddie swallowed nervously as the clown ducked back behind the tree, disappearing again. After a few seconds, it popped out from behind another, even closer one.

Eddie sniffed back tears as he shook his head, cowering down. He couldn't even say anything this time. He couldn't ask it to leave or yell out and hope by some miracle someone would hear him and help him. He couldn't do anything but stand there, completely immobile. Completely silent and vulnerable to whatever this horrible creature chose to do with him.

"You change your mind yet, Eddie?" Pennywise quipped as he finally stepped out from behind the closest tree to the boy, taking a few steps forward and putting his gloved hands on Eddie's shoulders.

Eddie shook his head back and forth as he tried to shrink down.

"You think the mean boys are all done with you now?" Pennywise offered a wide grin and a quick nod of his head.

Eddie could feel himself trembling as he swallowed and stared back.

"I'll bet not." Pennywise narrowed his eyes and leaned forward with a quick, strange sounding laugh. "The tall one could come by any minute now. Finish what he started. You know he's not satisfied... He got really close... He's probably thinking about you right now. He won't forget you until he gets what he wants... Maybe not then either... Might move you to his basement and keep you around."

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. He tried to twist his lips under the tape so he could speak. He wanted to tell the clown to get the fuck away. He didn't need this horrifying monster to tell him to be scared. He was already fucking scared.

"Oh, Eddie..." Pennywise stuck his lips out in a mocking pout, shaking his head as though sad and ashamed. "That big, mean, scary boy was really going to hurt you... So much. So horribly. He still might. Do you think the other one left you tied to a tree all alone in the woods so you could go home?"

Eddie swallowed nervously as he stared back at the clown.

"Or do you think he left you tied to a tree all alone in the woods so his friend could find you again?" Pennywise cocked his head to the side as he put his gloved hand against Eddie's cheek, running his fingertips down his jaw.

"Can't talk with this tape here, huh?" The clown went on, tapping one of his fingers over Eddie's lips. "Patrick will take it off. I know what he'll stuff into your mouth afterward too." The clown made a disgusted face and shuddered. "Nasty, big, mean boys... So determined to hurt you just for fun... How could they find fun in that, Edward? I think he's threatening you with the worst things he can think of just to be mean. Don't you?"

Eddie stared back, feeling his lip trembling. He didn't know what the clown might do... He was completely defenseless against whatever it might be, and just the fact that the clown was talking so much about Patrick and what Patrick was trying to do with him made Eddie want to throw up.

"He might just really like you, Eddie." Pettywise smirked.

Shaking his head, Eddie shrunk down, trying to stop himself from trembling, trying to stop his lip from shaking and his tears from falling.

He couldn't deny that the things the clown was saying were very real fears in his mind. Henry left him tied down, tethered to one spot with an obvious landmark nearby. He really could have told Patrick where he left him... so Patrick could finish what he started earlier, where Henry's dad wouldn't accidentally hear anything. Patrick could kill him after - it would be easier to clean up outside than in Henry's basement.

Eddie kind of felt like it seemed like Henry was feeling some degree of remorse or guilt... but was he really capable of that? Was Eddie being ridiculous assuming Henry could possibly have any humanity in him? It seemed like he felt bad for what Patrick had done - even for some of what Henry had done... But did he really? Or was it all a trick, so he could bring him here, leave him for his friend to come and find...

"I don't want them to hurt you, Eddie... I know what you know - that they want to really, really make you suffer. I don't want that. You don't either." The clown shook his head as though very saddened by this. "Wanna come with me instead?" Pennywise offered another large grin as his fingers continued petting Eddie's face in a mock-comforting gesture.

Eddie shook his head, trying to ignore the clown's hand touching his face. He squeezed his eyes shut. It didn't matter that Henry might not really be through with him. It didn't matter that Patrick might come back and hurt him more... Pennywise was not his way out of this. The clown was terrifying. He was a trickster, a killer... Eddie couldn't listen to him. He couldn't let himself believe this horrible monster disguised as a rather terrifying children's character would save him from anything.

"I can take you to my house. It's warm and cozy. Out of the rain... I've got a soft bed, just for you. You don't even have to share it." Pennywise shook his head. "Unless you want to. Maybe with your friends? Your kind, gentle friends. Richie. Mike." He nodded excitedly. "Stanley and Ben... Bill and Beverly. They can all come. They can hug you and protect you. Make you feel safe and warm. We can cook something tasty. Fluffy pancakes. We can make 'em blueberry or banana... Whatever you like, Eddie!"

Eddie shook his head again. None of these offers were genuine. He whimpered a frightened, muffled noise and flinched back as he felt the clown's large, gloved hands grab onto his own smaller, bound ones.

Opening his eyes and breathing in and out small, shaking breaths through his nose, Eddie stared at the clown's eyes, which looked slightly unfocused, slightly off-center.

"I promise to keep you safe, Eddie. Richie will keep you safe. He's your favorite, and he'll be there to hug you and protect you. No big boys allowed." He smirked.

Eddie shook his head and squeezed his eyes back closed, pulling his hands away what little he could. He shrunk down and squeezed his eyes shut tighter, determined not to open them again. Not until the clown was gone.

His ears perked up when he could swear he heard someone call his name. Was that Richie? He opened his eyes, but immediately saw Pennywise leaning in very close. With a soft gasp, he closed his eyes again, shrinking down as much as the ropes allowed. Was the clown trying to trick him? Was Richie's voice really there?

After a moment, Eddie slowly realized he didn't feel the clown's hands on his anymore. He didn't hear its voice... Didn't feel its presence...

But he did still hear something... Someone making noise nearby. Not too close, but not too far either. Someone was maybe yelling his name? Was that what it was? Was it Richie? It sounded like him... But it could be the clown trying to fool him.

Eddie's ears perked up again as he opened his eyes, looking nervously around. The clown was gone. He didn't hear anything now... Had that been real? Was someone looking for him? That was his name he heard, right? It had sounded so small... so unclear. Maybe it didn't sound like Richie after all. Thinking back, he couldn't even tell now if the voice was male or female. If it was a kid or an adult... or a scary clown...

With a trembling lower lip and tears brimming in his eyes, Eddie shrunk down and squeezed his eyes shut tight. He hoped it wasn't Patrick looking for him... But there was really no way for him to do anything about it if it was.

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	18. Chapter 18

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**Chapter 18**

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Richie exhaled an exhausted breath as he pedaled his bike as hard as he could. He was so tired, and so unbelievably nervous. After an exhausting day starting with Eddie waking him up way too early, things only got worse from there.

Eddie had left his house before seven in the morning. Might not have even been six thirty yet. Richie was so tired he basically just told the smaller boy bye and went back to sleep without another thought. He even pretty much forgot Eddie had even spent the night until his mom came into his room shortly after ten thirty, telling him he had a phone call from Bill.

As soon as he started talking to the other boy, it quickly became apparent to him that something was very wrong. Bill had called to remind Eddie that his mom would be coming to pick him up - literally any time. Bill was worried for Eddie's sake - that he was going to get in trouble when his mom found out he'd stayed at Richie's without asking.

Richie told Bill that Eddie had left his house hours ago... They immediately decided to meet up and look for the smallest of their friends, casually checking Eddie's own house first, then going from there.

As the day went on, and none of their friends heard a word from Eddie, each and every one of them began to fear the worst. Eventually Eddie's mom arrived at Bill's house, looking for her son, immediately panicking - even faster than Richie had.

The cops were called - most of them didn't seem to consider Eddie's disappearance a big deal. They seemed to think the tiny, fearful boy may have just run away, or got distracted playing with his friends - that he'd be home that evening for sure... The cops didn't seem to care when Eddie's friends pointed out the fact that they were all right there - looking for Eddie along with his mom - not distracted, playing with him in the woods or at the river. A lot of the cops didn't seem bothered by the fact that children going missing had become a terrifying trend - they didn't seem to connect the dots that none of the other missing children had shown back up after getting lost in their own play for a day - Eddie wouldn't either.

Richie's mom felt compelled to tell the truth once the cops got involved. She hadn't known Eddie wasn't supposed to stay at her house the night before. Eddie's mom accused her of knowing though. The cops accused Sonia of being paranoid, overprotective... One even questioned if she had done something to Eddie - accidentally hurt him in an attempt to gain attention for herself.

While the adults argued, the kids continued looking. They searched all day - in the woods, at the school, library, every store, along roads, in the junk yard, near every body of water or park... They didn't stop looking until their parents insisted that they come home... And they found nothing. No trace of him whatsoever.

Richie was forced to lay in his room, pretending to try to sleep as his mind raced, wondering what could have happened to his best friend, wondering if he'd ever see him again... The guilt he felt was crushing too. He had hardly even spoken to the smaller boy that morning. What may have turned out to be the very last words he said to him... he couldn't even remember. Maybe a rude joke... It certainly wouldn't have been what he'd have said if he knew Eddie would never come back...

Then early in the morning he heard pebbles hitting his window. It was the last person he expected when he checked outside - Henry Bowers. He'd immediately and easily convinced Richie to come downstairs by telling him he knew something about Eddie...

And he sure as hell did. Henry confessed just about everything, under the condition that Richie keep it to himself. The older boy had seemed almost scared, almost remorseful... but still threatening enough that Richie agreed to not tell anyone - as long as Eddie was okay. Henry warned him that he'd need to hurry and find him to insure that, and told Richie where to find the smaller boy - tied to a tree at the old, abandoned and collapsing Miller house in the woods.

So that's where Richie was heading, pedaling faster than he realized his legs could possibly pedal, but still feeling like progressing toward the house was taking forever. It was dark, cold, rainy... Wild animals and creepy creatures roamed the woods at night - especially lately with the whole Pennywise thing going on. The clown could come and claim Eddie at any time if a wild animal didn't.

"Eddie!" Richie called out as he pedaled. He was so out of breath, he couldn't manage to call out the smaller boy's name too many times. He needed to conserve his energy so he could focus first and foremost on getting there.

And after what felt like hours, he finally did arrive at the house, letting his bike go on for a few yards and fall down as he hopped off of it and ran to his friend's side. His legs were exhausted. They felt like jelly... but he ran up to Eddie anyway, panting breathlessly by the time he reached the smaller boy's side.

Eddie was indeed tied to a tree, with his hands bound with a huge sum of tape around his wrists in front of him. He had another large strip of tape pressed over his mouth, what looked like a bit of blood under his nose, a bruise under his eye... and Richie noticed his shirt was completely gone. He may have had cuts and bruises on his arms and chest too - but the ropes and the darkness of the very early morning obscured Richie's view.

The poor boy was soaking wet from the rain. He was shivering and maybe softly crying - either looking down with his eyes squeezed shut, or passed out - possibly somewhere in between. He looked positively miserable. Maybe he was sick from the cold. Maybe he was just extremely hurt from whatever it was Bowers did to him. The bully hadn't given Richie precise details on that. Richie just knew Eddie had been gone for a frighteningly long time.

Eddie shrunk down and whimpered softly as soon as Richie grabbed at his arms. His eyes were closed and he seemed determined not to look to see who was reaching out at him. Instead, he flinched and shook his head, like he was scared, like he didn't know it was Richie... like he was scared to look or ask.

"Eddie!" Richie breathed, placing his hand against the smaller boy's cheek.

Eddie shook his head, still refusing to open his eyes. He shrunk down, as though frightened Richie would hurt him.

"Open your eyes, Eddie..." Richie frowned, moving his hand away from his friend and staring down at him. He didn't want to scare him - even if the fear didn't make any sense.

Eddie let out a shaking, muffled noise, but still refused to open his eyes.

"Eds, its me!" Richie breathed, putting his hand back on Eddie's face and peeling away the strip of duct-tape covering the smaller boy's mouth. "Look at me... It's me. It's Richie... I'm gonna get you out of this... I'm gonna take you home. You okay?" He breathed.

"R-Richie?" Eddie gasped in a tiny, weak-sounding voice, finally opening his eyes wide, blinking back tears as his lip trembled. Richie noticed his small friend looked a little disoriented as he blinked tiredly. "Is it really you? It's not a trick?" He whispered.

"Yeah... It's me... Are you okay, Eddie?" Richie frowned, brushing some of Eddie's wet hair away from his face. "You alright?" He asked again when Eddie didn't answer.

Richie exhaled softly as he looked down at the ropes wound around Eddie's torso. "Fuck..." He breathed, looking for the end so he could unknot it. He should have brought a knife. This was going to take a bit of work to untangle. "Eddie, are you hurt? Should I go get help?" Richie breathed.

Eddie shook his head, swallowing. "Don't leave me." He whispered.

Richie stared back into his friend's wide, dark eyes. Eddie looked so scared, but also looked fairly close to passing out. "Okay." Richie nodded. "I won't leave... Not without you. We'll get you untied and go back together... You're gonna be okay. I'm staying with you the whole time."

Eddie's lip trembled again as he stared at Richie, seeming like he wanted to say something... but he was obviously holding back. He seemed so uncertain. So scared.

"We looked everywhere for you." Richie spoke, trying to say something - anything - while he untangled and unwound the ropes securing Eddie to the tree. "You've been gone almost an entire day..."

"I-" Eddie hesitated. "Got lost... In the woods... Someone tied me... Um. A man... It was..." He stammered, his words spaced out and his voice small. "Some guy... I just was lost all day, but then..." He shook his head, looking and sounding confused and uncertain. "I don't know-"

Richie stared at him with a frown. Did Eddie not remember what happened? Was he so hurt that he couldn't piece it together in his mind? He did seem somewhat dizzy, confused, close to fainting... "It was Bowers." Richie told him. "Henry Bowers took you."

Eddie's eyes widened as he quickly shook his head. "No. Nope... Wasn't him... I swear. Richie, it wasn't. Don't tell people that." His voice was suddenly a lot more quick and frantic. He hadn't been confused before... He had been deliberately lying, probably because Henry threatened to hurt him if he told the truth.

"He told me it was him. He came to my house like twenty minutes ago and told me where to find you." Richie frowned. "I know... He probably threatened to kill you if you told. He did the same to me... We can keep it a secret... Just... You don't have to keep it a secret from me. I know it was him. I won't say anything."

Eddie swallowed and closed his eyes, nodding. He looked like he felt sick, like he might throw up or pass out.

"You still okay there, Eds?" Richie frowned, finishing the ropes and letting them fall to the ground. "I can take you to the hospital... Or home. Whichever you prefer."

"No." Eddie whispered, shaking his head. "My mom's gonna be so mad..."

"She'll be relieved... She's so fucking worried..." Richie frowned, legitimately feeling bad for the woman for once. "You're gonna have to go home eventually anyway, and I think she's gonna be more relieved than mad... She'll probably forget all about you being at my house when you weren't supposed to be."

"No she won't." Eddie laughed weakly. "She's gotta blame this on somebody - it'll be you... me... your mom..."

"Eds, I really don't care if she blames me. What the fuck ever." Richie shrugged and forced a smile. "She'll get over it. She has to."

"I don't want to go home yet... Can I go to your house?" Eddie whispered.

Richie shook his head. "My mom'll tell your mom. The police are involved and everything..."

Eddie's lower lip trembled as he sniffed back tears. He looked so small as he stared down at the ground and shrunk down.

"Well..." Richie hesitated, looking around, taking note of the half-collapsed house behind Eddie. "We could stay here for a few hours... Wait for the rain to stop... Get your story sorted out. You don't have to tell your mom the whole truth. You can't stay hidden forever, but I'll help you stay hidden for a little bit... If that's what you want..."

Eddie nodded quickly, pressing himself against Richie's chest in a sort of attempt at a hug. His hands were still taped together in front of him, so he couldn't manage an actual hug... But Richie could. He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and held him close. He was so happy Eddie was here with him right now. He was okay... He was alive, and basically okay.

"Thank you for finding me." Eddie breathed, his voice trembling.

"Yeah... Of course." Richie frowned, looking down at his friend. He appeared to have welts on his arms, long, red marks, some of them complete with shallow cuts. He had pretty dark bruises on his neck too - some of them very clearly finger-shaped. His entire body was shivering. His lips looked almost blue, and his skin felt a lot colder than Richie thought it should.

"Lets get you inside." Richie suggested, shrugging out of his jacket and draping it over Eddie's shoulders. He'd work on getting the tape off his wrists later. For now, he just needed to get his friend out of the cold and wind.

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	19. Chapter 19

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**Chapter 19**

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Richie hugged Eddie close as he led the smaller boy up the stairs and into the old house. He felt the smaller boy shivering as he leaned heavily against Richie, allowing the other boy to support probably at least half of his weight. Richie noticed Eddie's movements seemed slow and difficult, like he was completely and utterly exhausted.

"Have you ever been in here before?" Eddie whispered as he looked nervously around once they'd entered the house.

Richie laughed softly. Leave it to Eddie to be scared of a fucking house after being literally missing for an entire day. "I've been in here a few times." He noted.

Eddie was still shaking as he shrunk further toward Richie's side. "There's a lot of spiderwebs..." He whispered. "And that part doesn't look stable." He pointed toward a corner of the house that seemed to be almost collapsing. "Maybe we shouldn't be in here... We should go back outside..."

Richie shook his head with a frown. Eddie was legitimately scared. Ordinarily, Richie would have made fun of him for it, but he didn't have the heart to right now. "Kids play in here all the time. It should be safe, Eds."

"It should be?" Eddie frowned up at him with raised eyebrows.

"It is. It's safe." Richie promised him, hugging the smaller boy closer. "I promise."

Of course, the house wasn't really 100% safe. It was old and decaying... Out in the woods... Animals could have gotten in. The creepy fucking clown that was stalking them could kill them at any time... Part of the building had already collapsed, so they'd have to be careful, but it would get them out of the rain at least, and give Eddie some time to compose himself and settle his nerves about going back into town.

"I'm gonna try to start a fire in the fireplace." Richie suggested. "Then we can work on getting your hands untaped... If that's okay?" He figured he should do something to warm the smaller boy up first and foremost. Eddie was shaking so much Richie was starting to worry that if he didn't get his friend home or to a hospital soon, he'd end up seriously sick... So since Eddie wouldn't agree to that, Richie at the very least could give him a warm place to be in the meantime.

Eddie nodded as he sat down on an old, dusty couch, drawing his legs up toward his chest and shivering. He looked tiny under Richie's Jacket, and very vulnerable considering he was all wet and bruised up.

"You still okay?" Richie frowned as he watched his friend. Eddie looked really tired.

"Yeah." Eddie exhaled and leaned back. He still continued looking around the room as though he was afraid it would collapse entirely at any moment, but then looked back toward Richie with a small smile. "I'm okay now... I'm just glad you're here..."

Richie smiled slightly as well. He was glad he was here too. At this point, seeing Eddie alive right here in front of him felt almost impossible. Richie didn't know if he had thought the smaller boy was dead... Whatever he thought once it started getting dark and no trace of Eddie could be found, he was starting to feel in his heart that he might never see Eddie again. He was so fucking glad that wasn't the case. He didn't know what he'd do if anything ever happened to Eddie. How could he live without his best friend?

Richie frowned, but headed toward the fireplace, stacking logs and twigs that had been collected in a pile nearby. Someone else had been here semi-recently - probably other kids. It looked like lots of recent fires had been going.

As he worked on the fire, Richie glanced over his shoulder at Eddie. He hadn't allowed himself to think of the worst possibilities too much before, but he realized now how vulnerable Eddie was. He was so small, so fearful... If it weren't Henry who took him, it could have been someone else. Eddie was an easy target.

"How did you know exactly where I was?" Eddie spoke up, his voice shaking as he couldn't stop shivering.

Richie shook his head and blinked his eyes, bringing himself back to the present reality. "Henry told me. He said he left you tied to a tree by the old Miller house in the woods. This is the Miller house." He gestured to the room and shrugged.

"Huh..." Eddie mumbled. "I was scared he was just gonna leave me there to figure it out on my own." He offered a nervous laugh. "Like, I was glad he let me go, but he tied me there really tight... I couldn't get free."

"I know. I could see that." Richie frowned, positioning the wood in the fireplace along with smaller kindling below, then lighting a match and attempting to get the fire going. He exhaled tiredly when the twigs didn't catch fire very well. Fortunately, there was a fair amount of trash thrown around the house - and some of it was paper or cardboard. Richie stood up and started collecting some of it. "How long did he leave you there?" Richie wondered, glancing toward Eddie before heading back to the fireplace.

Eddie shrugged. "Not too long. I was in his basement most of the time."

Richie looked over his shoulder with a frown. "His basement?" He repeated. He wished he would have considered that... Richie had been so sure the clown must have taken Eddie. And if not Pennywise, he figured maybe some creep from out of town snatched him. Those two things were his worst fears - that someone who wouldn't give him back had taken him. That they were hurting him and would eventually kill him. He never even thought to check the houses of their bullies... He should have thought of it. He felt like an idiot for not even letting that cross his mind.

"Yeah." Eddie let out a breathless laugh. "They grabbed me up off the sidewalk on the way to Bill's house. I wasn't even gone from your house for ten minutes before they showed up."

"They?" Richie frowned. "Who else was with him?"

He looked back at Eddie, who stared with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open slightly, as though he was scared he'd accidentally let slip something he shouldn't have said. "Nobody..." He whispered. "I don't think I'm supposed to say..."

Richie exhaled and abandoned the fire for a moment, walking over and sitting down on the couch next to his friend. He took Eddie's hands in his own They were really cold, so he rubbed his own hands on them. "It's me, Eds... I won't say anything. You can tell me what happened. It'll stay between us."

Eddie shook his head. "Hm um..." He murmured, staring back and Richie with wide, dark eyes.

Richie leaned in closer, still rubbing his friend's hands. "Eddie... They're not getting another chance to hurt you, okay? I fuckin' promise you that." He spoke. "But you've gotta tell me who it was... I mean, I've got a few guesses... It's fuckin' Henry Bowers, so there's only a few other people who could have been there. Unless his fuckin' dad finally snapped and decided to start kidnapping kids."

Eddie swallowed nervously, but nodded, blinking a few times. "Patrick." He whispered. "It was Henry Bowers and Patrick. They took me to Bowers's basement. Tied up my hands and legs and my mouth... They wouldn't let me leave... I begged and cried and fought back. It just made them mad. Just made them more violent."

Richie nodded slowly. That made sense. "Just Henry and Patrick?" He asked. "None of the others?"

Eddie shook his head no. "It was just them... They were really mean, Richie... Like really, really scary..." His voice started to shake as his lip trembled. "Richie, I thought-" He cut himself off with a small sob.

"Come here..." Richie breathed, pulling his friend into a hug.

Eddie sniffed back tears and allowed Richie to hug him, leaning his head against Richie's collarbone and whispering. "I thought they were gonna kill me, Richie... I didn't at first, but then they took me to his house and they kept escalating. When Henry drove me out here, I thought he was taking me out here to kill me."

"God, Eddie..." Richie shook his head, pulling Eddie closer against his chest. He didn't even know what to say. His poor friend had just been through a fucking nightmare. He must have been so terrified. Henry and Patrick were scary on a normal day. Richie couldn't imagine how it would feel to be taped up in a basement all alone with them.

The smaller boy continued crying, shrinking down closer to Richie as the other boy rubbed his hands lightly up and down Eddie's back. "You're safe now." Richie assured him, resting his chin on top of Eddie's damp hair, staring across the room at peeling wall paper and a broken mirror hanging on the opposite wall.

"I know." Eddie whispered, finally letting his sobs dissolve into soft sniffles and shaky breaths. "You won't let them near me again, right?" He offered a small smile and a slight laugh.

Richie pulled back as well, smiling down at his friend, whose eyes looked like little half-moons thanks to his tiny smile. Richie let out a small laugh as well. "Of course I won't. I'll beat the shit out of 'em if they try anything."

Eddie laughed softly, then looked down with a frown.

Richie frowned too, leaning down slightly to look up into his friend's eyes as Eddie continued looking down. "Hey, Eddie... You don't have to tell anyone else any of this... but if you want to, I'll stand by you... I get it - they're scary... but you do have the option to tell. I'll go with you to the police and everything... This is pretty serious."

Eddie shook his head quickly, staring up at Richie with furrowed brows. "No." He refused.

Richie swallowed nervously. As far as he could tell, this was the worst thing the Bowers gang had ever done. This went further than literally any of the brutality they unleashed on any of them before. This wasn't bullying. This was a crime... A really serious, violent crime.

They actually kidnapped Eddie, and really hurt him during it... This wasn't them forcing the younger boy into an alley for twenty minutes to beat him up, or shoving him, tripping him, calling him names, or locking him in a closet... They actually took him, and wouldn't let him leave for nearly a full day - and judging by the look of Eddie, they most certainly didn't go easy on him. Richie shuddered to think what all his friend had gone through in the past day. It had to have been terrifying. Painful, and utterly terrifying.

"You sure?" Richie frowned. "They could get into real trouble - like jail-trouble..."

"No, Richie..." Eddie whispered, sticking out his lower lip in a pout. "I don't want to tell... His dad's a cop, and what if they don't really put them in jail? Or they say they didn't do it and it's their word against mine, and then they're really mad and do something to me. Richie, you can't tell..." His voice shook as his breaths started to get more frantic. "Please don't tell... They'll do something worse. I don't wanna tell anyone... Richie..."

Richie exhaled. Eddie was clearly pretty upset by the idea of reporting this, and Richie was certainly not going to try to force him. "That's okay... Eds, it's okay..." He put his hand lightly on Eddie's arm as the smaller boy continued breathing rapid, shaking breaths.

"I just don't want to tell, Richie..." Eddie whimpered. "They said not to..."

"Alright..." Richie nodded, rubbing his hand lightly on his friends arm. "You don't have to tell on them... I won't say anything unless you want me to. Its up to you. But if you change your mind, I'll go with you. This isn't just hitting and kicking or name-calling... They fucking kidnapped you. I mean, you look like you've been fucking tortured, Eds..." Richie felt tears welling up in his own eyes as he watched Eddie's eyes grow teary as well. "No pressure... Okay? But if you wanna tell, I get it. I'll back you up."

Eddie shook his head again. "I can't." He whispered.

"Alright..." Richie reluctantly agreed, still staring at his friend, who looked entirely nervous. Richie stuck his lower lip out in a pout as he noticed tears in Eddie's eyes. Richie kind of wanted to cry too. Eddie was so beaten up. How dare Patrick and Henry do this to him?

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, as Richie reached carefully up and ran his fingertips lightly over a bruise on Eddie's neck. "What did they do to you?" Richie finally whispered. "You were gone for hours... most of a whole day."

Eddie shivered and looked down, pulling his hands out of Richie's grip.

Richie frowned and scooted back slightly. Maybe Eddie needed space. Maybe he needed some time before he was ready to talk.

"I'll tell you what, Eds... I'll get this fire going... Then you can tell me, alright?" Richie suggested. He could see the older boys had hurt Eddie. He knew his friend's explanation of what happened was going to be painful to retell - and to hear. The smaller boy had marks and bruises to prove it. He knew hours and hours of fear and pain wasn't going to be a pleasant memory to relive.

"You can tell me as much as you want... or as little... I mean, I'd like to know... I'll be supportive... But you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Richie offered. "I'll get the fire going first. Then we can talk. Alright?"

Eddie nodded silently.

"Okay." Richie forced a smile, squeezing the smaller boy's shoulder lightly before making his way back over to the fireplace. He positioned the trash under the larger chunks of wood, then tried again to light it, producing a flame that seemed strong enough this time.

Richie added more larger logs on top, so that the fire would last a few hours, then he moved back toward the couch, sitting down and taking Eddie's hands in his. He decided not to ask Eddie to say anything just yet. Instead, he quietly started working to peel the tape off of the smaller boy's wrists, hoping Eddie would volunteer information on his own. The last thing he wanted was to upset his already traumatized friend. He needed to allow Eddie to talk about this at his own pace.

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	20. Chapter 20

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**Chapter 20**

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"Thanks, Richie." Eddie whispered as he watched the other boy work on the tape. "That's been on there for so long... I took it off the first time. Bowers got really mad... He put it back and threatened to kill me if I took it off again." He offered a strange, nervous laugh.

Richie shook his head angrily. Bowers had no right to be so fucking cruel. Richie couldn't understand it. Why would someone enjoy hurting someone else? And especially someone so small and harmless like Eddie? Eddie very likely wouldn't have said anything to make them angry... He probably even tried specifically to be polite when they approached him... And then Henry did all of this to him anyway. Taped his hands, threatened him, definitely hurt him in some way or another. He had marks all over his body.

"I've almost got it." Richie noted as he unwound the last bit of tape from his friend's wrists, frowning at the red marks around his arms. Eddie must have been struggling under the tape all this time, trying to get his hands free.

The smaller boy remained silent until the tape was all off, then exhaled and closed his eyes tiredly. "They forced me to get into their car." He whispered, looking down at his lap.

Richie nodded, relieved Eddie was telling him without Richie having to drag the information out of him, but anxious about hearing all of the details. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, as he was honestly terrified of what Eddie might say next.

"Then they took me to his basement. And they taped my hands, and feet, and my mouth." Eddie pouted. "They kept threatening me... and being really rough... They had a gun and a knife... I tried to get away, and Bowers got really mad and said he'd kill me if I tried again. I broke the window in the basement - to try to leave through it. That's how this happened." Eddie laughed nervously, raising his arm up and showing Richie a jagged cut near his wrist.

Richie inhaled a small breath as he took Eddie's hand in his own and gently traced the angry red mark. "I bet that really hurts..." He whispered.

Eddie laughed slightly. "I practically forgot it was there. Things got a lot worse than that... After I broke the window and tried to leave, Henry was so mad. I thought he was gonna kill me. Like, I don't think I've ever seen him more mad. He punched me, really hard. Then he said..." Eddie stopped talking and looked down at his lap.

Frowning, Richie reached over slowly and carefully, putting his hand lightly on Eddie's back. "What did he say?" He asked.

Eddie shrugged slightly, but still wouldn't look up. "That he was gonna... um... I don't know..." He whispered, shrinking down slightly as he tried to find the proper words. "He said... Well, he wanted to do something really, really bad, since I broke the window and he was really mad, and he threatened to... like do sex stuff. Like hurt me in a sex way..." Eddie's voice shook as he forced another very uncomfortable laugh, but still wouldn't look up.

"Oh my god..." Richie gasped. "Eds, are you okay?"

"Yeah..." Eddie whispered. "He said he would, but he didn't. I thought he would. He was acting like he was gonna... He pulled my shorts down and like had me pinned to the floor. I really thought he was going to do it. But I think he didn't really want to. He was just that mad... He wanted to do something really awful because he was so mad, but he couldn't bring himself to actually do it. He didn't do it." Eddie looked up and forced a small smile. "He didn't do it... I'm alright..." He said in a tiny voice. His eyes shined with tears and he was still shivering.

"Eddie..." Richie whispered, feeling tears stinging in his eyes as well as he shook his head. He reached out and pulled his friend into a hug, holding him close. "I'm so fucking sorry all this happened..." Even just threatening to do that to someone was beyond awful. Eddie had believed that Henry was really going to hurt him like that. Richie couldn't imagine how terrified his tiny friend must have been in that moment - to have someone big and violent like Henry pinning him to the ground, telling him he was going to rape him. And Henry had actually pulled his shorts down during the whole ordeal? Of course Eddie had believed the older boy would really do it.

"It's okay... It's not your fault." Eddie whispered back, wrapping his arms around Richie and laying his head on the other boy's shoulder.

"I know what you're gonna say... But are you sure you don't want to go to the police?" Richie asked.

Eddie shook his head and pulled back. "Henry's dad? No fucking thanks."

Richie's shoulders slumped. "There's more cops than just him."

"I don't want to, Richie..." Eddie frowned.

"Alright... It's up to you..." Richie bit his lower lip as he stared at Eddie, waiting for the rest of this story. It didn't end here. The younger boy was covered in welts. His neck looked like someone tried to strangle him. Fairly dark bruises lined his arms... He had been gone an entire day and most of the night. A lot had to have happened in that time.

"The worst part was Patrick." Eddie finally continued. "He was being really creepy, and I think Bowers didn't like it. He tried to pretend like it didn't bother him, but it did. He kind of joked about it, but every time Patrick did something and Henry was there, he made him stop."

"Made him stop what?" Richie whispered, feeling his throat grow tight. What could Patrick have done that was worse than what Eddie just said Henry did? Henry made Eddie think he was going to rape him - he actually pulled down his pants. How could Patrick be worse than that?

Eddie looked down again, forcing a nervous laugh and shrugging. "I don't know... Just gross, like, sort of like Henry said... Trying to grab me... Um..."

Richie frowned. "Trying to grab you?" He repeated.

Eddie nodded. "Yeah." He whispered, his eyes brimming with tears. "Like... in a bad way. Like what Henry threatened, but Patrick really meant it." He hesitated, looking down again and shrugging. "He pulled down my shorts too..." Eddie spoke, his voice small. "He wasn't just trying to scare me. He wasn't mad. He was really going to do it. He was gonna make me do things... But Henry made him stop."

Richie exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Did he hurt you? Before Henry made him stop... did he do anything? Did he make you do anything?"

Eddie shook his head. "No. Almost. He got really close. I kept fighting back the second time, and he got really mad... Pushed me against the wall with my pants down... It was so embarrassing, Richie... He was gonna..." Eddie stopped himself, inhaling a small breath and sniffing back tears. "He kept kicking my ankle, and I think heard him unzipping his pants and maybe he was touching himself back behind me. I don't... I couldn't see what he was doing... But... I mean, I know what he was gonna do... I'm not stupid. But Henry came downstairs and got mad and made him leave."

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Richie stared down at his friend. Eddie seemed very nervous, sort of out of breath, like re-telling this was frightening for him - and of course it was. Patrick was still out there. He probably told Eddie to keep quiet...

"He's not going to get near you again, Eds." Richie promised. " Neither of them are."

"Course not. I'm gonna be locked in my room for the next five years." Eddie forced a dry laugh.

Richie smiled slightly as well. "And if your mom ever lets you out, you stick by me. I'll fucking kill Patrick if he ever touches you again. Henry too."

Eddie laughed softly. "Thanks, Richie."

"I mean it." Richie frowned. And he really did. He hated Patrick for trying to hurt his best friend like that. That was even worse than Henry indiscriminately picking on smaller kids or doing things just to scare people. Patrick was a fucking monster. Eddie was so sweet and innocent. That was probably why Patrick wanted to do it. He probably got greater pleasure thinking about sexually assaulting someone who was so naive about sex in general - someone so young and small and kind...

"There's something else too, Rich..." Eddie spoke up.

"Yeah?" Richie frowned, hardly wanting to hear more about this nightmare, but also needing to know.

"You can't tell anyone this..." Eddie started, hesitating and looking up at Richie with wide eyes.

"I won't." Richie promised.

"I mean it. It's about Henry... You can't tell anyone. Not even our friends." Eddie went on.

"Okay." Richie nodded. "What is it?"

"His dad... I heard them yelling and slamming things around upstairs... Richie, his dad is really cruel to him. Henry told me he was going to show me what his dad did to him. That's how I got these marks." He gestured to his back. "He hit me with a belt - and that's what his dad does to him, I guess."

Richie frowned, shaking his head sadly. "He shouldn't have done that to you, Eds. That's so messed up. Just because his dad hurts him doesn't mean he can hurt you... or anyone else."

"I know..." Eddie shrugged. "But it does make me feel bad for him... and I think he felt bad for me too. That's why he let me go. Patrick kept trying to hurt me, and I think it scared Henry enough to call the whole thing off. I think he felt guilty after the belt too. I was really upset. I tried not to, but I cried a lot... Because it really hurt. And I think he legitimately felt bad."

"I don't feel bad for Bowers though." Richie disagreed.

Eddie shrugged and laid down on the couch, resting his head on Richie's thigh. "I do. It wasn't okay that he hurt me... but it's sad how his life is... I know he wouldn't be how he is now if really bad things didn't happen to him."

Richie shook his head as he put his hand lightly on Eddie's head, brushing his hair back carefully with his fingertips. "Everybody's life is fucked up in some way or another. He has no right-"

"I know that." Eddie shrugged again. "Still sad though."

Richie exhaled. "I guess." He finally agreed. Of course it was sad that Henry's circumstances turned him into a cruel bully. But it was more sad that he hurt people like Eddie because of it. Just because the older boy had a messed up life didn't mean he could get away with being abusive himself.

"Richie..." Eddie spoke up after a moment, pulling the other boy's jacket closer around his shoulders as he snuggled against his friend.

"Yeah?" Richie reached down and rubbed his hand up and down his friend's arm, trying to make him warmer, as he still shivered slightly.

"The clown showed up too. Twice." Eddie told him.

"Really?" Richie frowned. "What did he say? What did he do?"

"Kept asking me to come with him. He kept saying stuff like he had a warm bed and food and water and stuff... He said you'd be there. And the others. He came right after Henry hit me with the belt, and right after he left me tied to the tree - which was right after Patrick tried to hurt me. Both times the clown showed up I was completely terrified, in pain. He knew exactly when to come - like he knew I was really scared and hurt... like he knew I might be scared enough to agree to go with him." Eddie whispered.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't, Eds." Richie hugged his arm around Eddie.

"I knew not to believe him, but he painted a pretty picture... He kept talking about pancakes." Eddie laughed dryly. "I think he read my mind... Because I was thinking about your mom's pancakes a lot. Not how you think about my mom's pancakes..."

Richie felt a smile tugging at his lips. "Was that a dirty joke, Eddie Spaghetti?"

Eddie shrugged.

"What are you gonna tell your mom?" Richie asked. "We need our story straight if we're gonna avoid mentioning Bowers and Patrick."

Eddie exhaled and closed his eyes. "I think your fire's working." He noted in a small voice.

"Yeah..." Richie smiled slightly, reaching his hand up and brushing Eddie's hair back again. It was starting to finally dry out a bit so that it didn't hang in dripping, wet clumps anymore.

For a moment, Richie simply stared down at his friend. Eddie's eyes were closed and he looked pretty calm now. The small amount of light coming from the fireplace and the slowly rising sun allowed Richie to notice smaller details, like the faint tear-tracks down Eddie's cheeks, dried flakes of blood under his nose, pale, purple bruises on his cheek, jaw, and neck.

Richie gently reached up and ran his fingers lightly over the bruises on his friend's throat. It looked so violent. He wondered which of their bullies did that to him. Maybe they both did. They had to have squeezed so hard to make bruises like that - dark, finger-shaped marks... Poor Eddie probably couldn't breathe.

"I think Henry was drunk when he did that." Eddie whispered, keeping his eyes closed. His voice was so even and calm, like talking about this didn't really bother him. "He came downstairs and started talking about his dad and what it would be like if I was his brother. It wasn't too scary at first. Then he got madder and madder and started choking me." Eddie frowned, but didn't open his eyes. "I couldn't really de-escalate it... He just kept talking and made himself mad. I wasn't even saying anything, really. Not much anyway. I tried to calm him down... He was drunk. I could smell it on him."

"I'm sorry, Eds." Richie breathed. "Bowers is fucking crazy. You must have been really scared."

"I was." Eddie shrugged slightly, reaching his hand up to hold onto Richie's. "I'm okay now."

Richie nodded. Eddie was right. He was okay now. That was what was important.

Richie smiled as he continued looking down at his friend, taking note of more pleasant details this time - Eddie's dark eyelashes resting against his cheeks, the little freckles peppered across his nose. The smaller boy's mouth was almost smiling, maybe because he felt content being here with Richie. Richie hoped so. He hoped he made Eddie feel safe.

As he continued staring at Eddie's closed eyes, tiny smile, freckled nose and cheeks, Richie breathed out softly. For a while during the past day, he wondered if he'd ever see Eddie again. He had a real fear that Eddie might have been gone forever. Richie would have never gotten to see him again, never gotten to joke about his mom, make gentle fun of him for being so neat and careful. He'd never get to see the little details of his face - his freckles, his eyelashes, the way his nose looked like a little kid's...

In fact, a lot of Eddie looked like a little kid. Eddie was so small - hadn't quite hit puberty yet. In a lot of ways, he still looked like a little boy - more-so than Richie did. More than any of them. Eddie was the same age as the rest of them, but he just looked so little... He was so scared of things. Even with him being more careful than anyone, he still seemed to get hurt more easily than the rest of them. Naturally, the whole group was protective of him.

"I guess we'll have to go back into town soon..." Eddie frowned, blinking up and staring at Richie.

Richie couldn't help but to smile as his eyes met Eddie's. Eddie smiled too, but sort of wrinkled his brow like he was confused, yet amused by Richie staring into his eyes.

"What?" Eddie laughed.

"Nothing." Richie smiled. "Just happy you're okay. Happy to be here with you, Eds."

"Stop calling me that." Eddie reached up and pressed a finger on Richie's nose.

Richie leaned into Eddie's finger, letting the smaller boy squish his nose down in a way that he hoped would look funny. He grinned with he heard Eddie laugh.

"Let's make sure we're on the same page about what happened." Richie suggested. They couldn't go back into town until they agreed on that much.

"I already told you, Richie." Eddie pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and snuggling against his friend's leg again, turning slightly on his side. "I don't want to say it all again... I told you pretty much all of it."

"I don't mean me. I mean what we're gonna tell your mom... The police if they ask." Richie clarified.

"Oh." Eddie's voice was small.

"So what are we gonna tell them?" Richie asked again.

Eddie exhaled tiredly and shrugged.

"We can still tell them the truth if you want." Richie noted.

"No." Eddie yawned. "Just... We'll say I've been lost. I fell down and got scraped up by bushes and branches and rocks and stuff. Hopefully they don't look too hard... I could just refuse to go to the hospital... She can't make me, right?"

Richie bit his lower lip. "I don't know..." He answered. Eddie's mom probably would make him go to the doctor. He doubted his friend would fight her too hard on it. He'd probably give in pretty easily.

"If I have to, I'll just refuse to fucking talk." Eddie spoke. "They can't make me tell."

"True." Richie agreed. He kind of wished Eddie would just tell the truth though. Maybe all of their friends should have been telling the truth about Bowers and his gang this whole time. Maybe they should have spoken up sooner. It had clearly spiraled into something unmanageable. What was the point of keeping quiet to avoid worse things when Henry and Patrick were going to escalate to this? They couldn't do much worse than what they did to Eddie. Not unless they actually raped him... or killed him.

"So... You got lost in the woods then? I snuck out in the middle of the night to keep looking... and finally found you? That's our story, right?" Richie asked after a moment. If they were going to lie about this, they needed to make sure their lies added up with each other.

Eddie nodded. "Yeah." He agreed in a whisper, clearly starting to fall asleep.

Richie exhaled as he leaned back against the couch himself, suddenly realizing he hadn't really slept yet. He felt just as exhausted as Eddie looked.

Trying not to move Eddie too much, Richie maneuvered himself so that the two boys were lying next to each other. He wrapped his arms around his small friend and pulled him close, smiling as he felt Eddie snuggle down against his chest.

"I wish I could just take you back to my house... Have my mom make you those pancakes..." Richie whispered. Eddie had to have been starving by this point. Richie doubted Henry or Patrick made him meals during this horrible ordeal.

"Me too." Eddie's small voice said back. "I knew not to believe the clown when he said he had pancakes. I knew he was lying, just trying to trick me... but I did really want those pancakes."

"I'll bet." Richie laughed softly. His mom did make some pretty damn good pancakes... Hopefully Eddie's mom didn't keep him hidden in his house forever after this. The smaller boy had more than earned those pancakes after this horrible nightmare he'd just endured.

Richie put his hand against the back of Eddie's head, pulling him close so that he could rest his chin against the smaller boy's soft, slightly damp hair.

He didn't want to speak his thoughts out loud, but in a strange way, he was really grateful to Henry Bowers right now. Sure, Henry was the reason all of this happened. He flat out kidnapped Eddie, held him captive, beat him, threatened him, left him tied up in the rain... But he could have done worse, and he chose to hold back, to retreat, to let the younger boy go when he saw his friend taking things too far.

Henry had gotten Eddie into a very serious, scary situation, and Richie fucking hated him for it... but Henry eventually decided to help Eddie out of the mess he'd created too. He didn't have to. He could have let Patrick hurt him. He could have left him in the woods without telling Richie... But instead, for once, Henry had chosen to do the right thing. It was scary that Henry had that power over Eddie tonight... but he did... and he eventually chose to use it in Eddie's favor.

It took him way too long to grow a conscious, but he did have some hint of humanity somewhere deep inside him. Something in him saw that Eddie didn't deserve all this, and he backed off...

Closing his eyes, Richie moved one of his hands carefully down Eddie's back, being mindful of the painful welts there. He smiled as he felt his small friend's steady, even breaths. They probably weren't so calm before.

Richie wanted to cry when he thought about how scared Eddie must have been when the two older boys had him down in Henry's basement... When Henry was hitting him, threatening him with sexual assault, when Patrick was trying to hurt him. Eddie's breaths were probably frantic then. Richie wondered if he had to use his inhaler, if the older boys would have let him use it.

He also wondered why the clown hadn't just taken Eddie with him when he had the chance. He could have. As far as Richie knew, Pennywise didn't ask other kids before he took them or killed them. Maybe he was teasing Eddie - testing him, seeing if he could get him to come willingly, just for his own amusement...

"I thought about you more than the pancakes though, Richie." Eddie finally spoke up with a tired yawn.

Richie frowned and pulled back slightly, trying to see if Eddie was fully awake. The smaller boy's eyes were closed. He looked generally peaceful. He had been quiet for so long at this point, Richie honestly thought he was asleep.

"The clown said you'd be there too... I wanted to go so bad." Eddie went on, his voice so small Richie had to lean down closer to hear him.

"I'm glad you didn't, Eds." Richie whispered back.

"I knew you weren't really with him. That it was a trick." Eddie spoke, his voice still barely above a whisper. "But he said you'd protect me, and he was right... just not about you being with him."

"Yeah." Richie whispered, hugging Eddie close again. "Of course I'll protect you. I'll always protect you."

"I know." Eddie whispered.

**xxxxxx**


	21. Chapter 21

**xxxxxx**

**Chapter 21**

**xxxxxx**

Eddie felt confused, lost, disoriented, kind of numb... Something in his head was telling him to run, to hide. He felt scared, but he didn't quite know why. Just a general sense of unease and foreboding filled his entire being.

Where was he? Everything around him was dark, cold, wet and drippy, like he was in a cave. He shivered and let out a small breath. It was freezing, uncomfortable, and had a general feeling to it that just made him feel nervous, trapped, in danger. Was he dreaming? He didn't recognize this place. He didn't remember coming here.

Groaning, Eddie shook his head, trying to wake himself up. Richie found him, didn't he? Wasn't that what happened? Henry left him tied to a tree and Richie found him, took him inside an old house, made a fire... They laid down on a couch together and were talking... So why was he here now? In this weird cave... with torches hanging on the walls. What the hell?

Eddie shrunk down as he looked around the space, noticing more and more details. He was lying on a wooden table, with his legs and arms locked down with shackles, like a torture chamber from an old castle.

Eddie swallowed, realizing he was completely naked too. His breaths increased. This had to be a dream... But he couldn't get himself to wake up. It wasn't real... He blinked his eyes and groaned, shaking his head, trying to will himself to wake up. He didn't like it here. Even if it was just pretend, just a dream... He wanted out. He pulled on his trapped arms and legs. They felt like they were stuck in quick sand. He couldn't really move, not even a tiny bit. Not even to twist his hands or feet. It was like he was paralyzed, yet tied down anyway.

Letting out a soft whimper, Eddie squeezed his eyes shut. Even without looking, he could sense Patrick coming. He couldn't bring himself to open his eyes, but he knew Patrick was there. He felt the older boy's hands on him, running all over his body - not painfully, but still unwelcome.

"Get off of me..." Eddie whimpered, opening his eyes and staring up at Patrick, who smirked silently down at him and continued feeling his hands up and down Eddie's stomach and sides, down between his legs..

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut and shrunk down when he noticed Patrick was naked too, except for white gloves on his hands, like the ones Pennywise wore. He smiled and laughed as he stared down into Eddie's eyes, rubbing his hand roughly between the younger boy's legs.

"Let me go!" Eddie cried as he felt Patrick's hands grabbing and squeezing, harder and harder as the older boy panted excitedly. "Don't touch me! Stop! Please!" Eddie begged in a shaking voice that was so small he couldn't even hear it. Was he even making noise? Could Patrick even hear his pleas? He choked out a defeated sob as he realized there was nothing he could do to make Patrick stop.

"I could suck your dick." Patrick's voice echoed in his head.

"I wouldn't want to be you." Pennywise's voice echoed next. "Not when those big boys are forcing themselves on you. Forcing themselves in you."

"Forcing myself in you." Patrick repeated Pennywise's words in a low voice as he leaned down, breathing against Eddie's neck.

"Little Eddie..." Pennywise's voice continued.

"Stop." Eddie breathed weakly, shaking his head and squeezing his hands into fists. He wanted Patrick off of him, and he wanted both his and the clown's voices to shut the hell up.

Eddie still felt Patrick's hands on him, squeezing, rubbing... Eddie was on his stomach now. Patrick was prying his legs apart. Even facing down, Eddie could somehow see Patrick. A long, pointed, striped tongue spilled out of his mouth, making Eddie whimper and shake in disgust. The tongue landed on Eddie's back. He could feel drool pooling onto him, dripping down his sides.

Eddie whimpered in disgust, pulling uselessly at his arms and legs again. "Ew... Get off of me... Please..." He whispered, squeezing his eyes shut again as he couldn't help but to shiver.

"Hold still." Patrick's voice whispered.

Eddie choked out a frightened sob and squeezed his hands into fists again. He couldn't do anything else but hold still. He couldn't move. He couldn't even speak anymore. His mouth wasn't covered... but his words wouldn't come out. He felt like he was thinking things rather than saying them. He tried to beg, but he couldn't hear himself. That meant no one else could either.

"This'll feel good." Patrick's voice continued. "You like sucking on long, hard things."

Suddenly Henry was in front of him, forcing his father's gun into Eddie's mouth, just like he did yesterday.

"I could kill you, right here and now." Henry breathed, forcing the gun into Eddie's mouth and glaring down at him. Eddie noticed the older boy's finger rubbing slowly over the trigger, ready to pull it if he chose to.

Eddie choked as Henry pushed the gun over his tongue, so far into his mouth that Eddie couldn't even breathe. His chest felt so tight. His lungs felt squeezed, dry, unable to expand.

Eddie could only cry as he felt Patrick squeezing his flesh behind him, leaning heavily on him, positioning himself between Eddie's legs.

Pennywise stood in the corner behind Henry, smiling and waving. "Should have come with me, little Eddie." Pennywise laughed and shrugged.

Richie and Bill stood on either side of the clown, just staring. Not smiling. Not frowning. Their eyes were hollow.

Eddie felt a silent scream in his throat as he felt something pushing into him from behind. He couldn't see, but he somehow knew it was the handle of the hammer Henry had threatened him with before. Patrick held it now, shoving it hard into his victim as Henry shoved the gun further down his throat.

"NO!" Eddie screamed, kicking and flailing as he felt hands on his arms. "Get off of me! Stop!" He screamed.

"Eddie." Richie's urgent voice whispered. It sounded muddled, like Eddie was under water.

"Stop! Stop!" Eddie screamed, still feeling Patrick's presence, even when he could no longer see him. Now he just felt confused, like Patrick was still there, maybe... but was he? Was Henry? Was the clown? Where was he? He couldn't even see anything anymore. He didn't feel Patrick assaulting him. Obviously Henry wasn't shoving the gun down his throat, because he could scream now... And he certainly was going to.

Eddie wasn't even sure he was saying words anymore. He was just screaming, crying shaky, frantic sobs, thrashing, kicking. His arms and legs were no longer tied down. His voice was no longer stifled. He was going to fight back. "Heeelllpp!" He sobbed, swinging his fists out blindly and kicking any direction he could. "Get off of me! Stop!"

"Wake up." Richie's voice continued. Eddie could barely hear him. Was he really there? He sounded so far away.

Eddie felt hands on him still. Were they Patrick's? Henry's? Was Patrick still hurting him? It didn't feel like it... But was he? Eddie still felt kind of trapped. He could thrash around now, move his arms and legs... but he still felt too confined. He still felt hands on him, not rough, but still holding onto him when he didn't want them there. He didn't know who it was.

"NO! No!" Eddie sobbed. "Don't touch me! Stop!" He whimpered, pushing his hands against something solid and warm, kicking out violently. "Get off of me! Stop! Please!" He cried breathlessly.

"Eddie, calm down. It's me... You're safe." Richie's voice continued as hands rested firmly but gently on Eddie's shoulders. "Eds, it's me... It's me." Richie's voice continued.

Eddie felt himself shaking, his breaths short and panicked as he finally managed to open his eyes. A blurry figure stood over him - someone somewhat small, like him... Not an older boy. Not a clown... He blinked and breathed out a shaky, frightened whimper as his eyes focused on his surroundings. It was Richie... Richie was holding him. He was on the couch in the old house with the fireplace. Richie was half-sitting up, holding onto him, staring down with wide, concerned eyes.

"Richie...?" Eddie breathed, his lower lip trembling as tears pricked at his eyes.

"Yeah... It's me. You were dreaming. Whatever it was, it's not real." Richie whispered. "You're safe. You're here with me..."

Eddie felt his lip tremble as he looked down at himself. He was wearing Richie's jacket, and his own shorts. He wasn't naked. Patrick and Henry and the clown weren't here. He wasn't in the cold, drippy cave. He wasn't tied down. No one was hurting him. There was no gun, no hammer... Eddie was just with Richie. He was safe. All the horrors he'd encountered before were over now.

"You okay?" Richie whispered, putting his hand carefully against Eddie's face.

Eddie felt himself shivering as tears welled up in his eyes. He reached up, grabbing the other boy and letting him pull him up into a secure embrace.

Richie hugged him tight as Eddie sobbed.

"You're alright, Eds." Richie whispered, hugging the smaller boy tight. "Everything's okay. It's just you and me here. No one else... Nobody's gonna hurt you. I promise."

"I'm sorry, Richie..." Eddie whimpered, squeezing his arms securely around his friend. "I was so scared..."

"It's okay..." Richie breathed, putting his hand against the back of Eddie's head and running his fingers gently through his hair. "I know you were scared. You were dreaming, Eds. It's alright now..."

"I didn't mean to..." Eddie choked between sobs as he clung tightly to his friend. "I'm sorry..."

"Eddie, shhh... What are you sorry for?" Richie breathed. "You didn't do anything... It's okay."

"I'm sorry!" Eddie cried again, clinging desperately to Richie and sobbing breathlessly. He had been kicking and hitting... Richie was just trying to help him, and Eddie probably punched him for it. The one person in the world who had actually been kind and careful with him during the past day, and Eddie kicked and hit him.

"Eddie, don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. You're okay." Richie assured him, rubbing his hand softly up and down over Eddie's back, resting the other on the back of the smaller boy's head. "You're safe. I'm here. Nobody's gonna hurt you. I'm the only one here with you. Everything's gonna be okay."

Eddie continued crying, grabbing the back of Richie's shirt in his hands. He was so glad Richie was here. He was so fucking glad his dream wasn't real. Patrick was the most terrifying person he'd ever met. Eddie didn't know what he was going to do when he saw the older boy later, around town... What if Patrick hurt him again later? Of course he would... Why wouldn't he? He'd probably just be waiting for his chance. Sooner or later, it would happen.

Eddie whimpered a shaking sob and hugged himself closer to Richie. He didn't know what to do... But he was glad Richie was here... For the moment, he'd be okay. Patrick wasn't here right now. Richie was... And Eddie had been kicking, hitting, screaming... He was lucky Richie didn't get mad and leave. Eddie probably hit him pretty hard while he was waking up.

"Richie, I'm sorry..." Eddie breathed again as his sobs dissolved into soft sniffles.

"Eddie, its okay... There's nothing for you to be sorry for. Why are you apologizing to me?" Richie asked again.

"Kicking, hitting... Did I hit you?" Eddie asked, pulling back and staring at his friend.

Richie laughed and shrugged as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "A little. But it's okay. You were having a nightmare. It's not your fault."

Eddie swallowed. He was still shaking. That was the worst fucking nightmare he'd ever had... And he had a lot of nightmares. For someone who was scared of basically everything, Patrick, Henry, and Pennywise were the greatest nightmare fuel imaginable.

"It's alright, Eds. I'm not mad. You didn't hit me that hard, and even if you did, that'd be okay. I know you didn't mean to." Richie promised, rubbing his hands gently up and down Eddie's arms. "You okay now?"

Looking around the house to make sure he was indeed safe - where he was supposed to be, without his bullies or the clown lingering in any corner, Eddie nodded. It was a lot brighter outside now. They must have slept for at least a few hours.

He looked back at Richie, who looked kind of exhausted. He wondered if his friend had slept at all.

"You think we could head back into town? We'll get all this sorted out and get life back to normal... I know it's kind of gonna suck at first to have to explain all this..." Richie trailed off.

Eddie nodded. "Yeah... I'm ready." He had to be. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't hide in this house with Richie forever. The longer he stayed gone, the more questions people were going to ask. They had to get back soon before this became and even bigger deal to the people of Derry.

"Good. I'll stick by you, okay? We'll stay with the lost in the woods story... You were only gone a day, so it's not too implausible. Remember, you don't have to tell anybody anything if you don't want to - but you can if you want." Richie reminded him. "If you do want to tell, just let me know. Henry came directly to my house and told me where you were. I've got a side of this story to tell too if you want to."

Eddie shook his head. "I'm not telling." He whispered. Patrick and Henry would fucking kill him - or worse...

"Alright... Lost in the woods then." Richie forced a small smile.

Eddie nodded, letting Richie pull him to his feet.

"You okay to walk and everything?" Richie frowned, looking Eddie up and down.

"Yeah." Eddie whispered.

"I think I'll just leave my bike here. Come back for it later with Bill or Stanley or somebody. We can take the road back. It'll give us a little while to settle our nerves about all this... That okay?" Richie asked.

Eddie nodded, leaning against Richie's side and letting the other boy lead the way.

They made their way down the front stairs and followed a rocky driveway overgrown with grass and weeds down the middle out to the main road. The sun felt good as it slowly started warming up the world.

Eddie closed his eyes and leaned against Richie, trusting his friend to lead them in the right direction. Walking with his eyes closed was easy, comfortable, not uncertain and scary, as he knew Richie would keep him from running into anything.

"You wanna talk about the dream?" Richie wondered. "You don't have to." He said after a moment. "But you can if you want."

"I don't want to." Eddie whispered, walking blindly next to his best friend, feeling warm and protected with Richie's arm around his shoulders. "Thanks for waking me up though."

"Yeah." Richie breathed. "You seemed really upset."

"Did I say anything?" Eddie opened his eyes and frowned as he looked up at Richie.

Richie shrugged. "You were kind of just crying..." He whispered, frowning sadly. "At the end you did... Right before you woke up. You were screaming, like 'get off of me,' and 'stop...' Maybe you were talking to me." He forced a small laugh. "I was trying to wake you up, but I might have made stuff worse for a minute... Maybe I shouldn't have grabbed you..."

"No, you didn't make things worse." Eddie disagreed. He was kind of talking to Richie when he screamed to be let go... but he didn't know it was Richie. He thought it was Patrick... and if Richie didn't wake him up when he did, the dream would have continued... Even if it wasn't real, Eddie was glad he hadn't had to suffer through more of it.

Swallowing, Eddie looked down at his feet as he walked.

"I'm sure it was really scary." Richie went on. "I wish I could have woken you up sooner... I didn't know you were having a bad dream at first... You were kinda flinching and whimpering for a minute... I didn't think to try to wake you up until you started really crying. I should have woken you up sooner."

"It's okay..." Eddie whispered. Richie didn't know the horrors the nightmare included, or when it started. He couldn't know... "It wasn't real, Richie." He noted, more to himself than anything else. "It's alright. None of it was real."

Eddie continued staring down at his feet, at his legs as they walked. He had red marks around his ankles where the tape had been. It wasn't that obvious unless he really looked, but there were definitely red lines there. He brought his hands up pulling up the sleeves of Richie's jacket and looking at his arms. His wrists were even redder than his ankles. How was he going to explain all of this.

Feeling his breaths increasing, Eddie ran his fingers softly around one of his wrists. The marks there were so much more obvious. Why had he struggled so much? He didn't even get free - and he could have. He could have just taken the tape off when he was alone. But he didn't. He didn't want Henry mad at him... So why even struggle? It was useless. Now he just had marks - evidence of what had happened... and he didn't want evidence. He wanted to hide all of this... Pretend it never happened.

"Hey..." Richie whispered. "You still alright?"

Eddie pressed his lips together and shook his head no. He felt like he was going to cry.

Richie stopped walking, grabbed his hands lightly onto Eddie's upper-arms and bent down slightly to look his friend in the eyes. "What's wrong?"

Eddie breathed in and out shaky breaths. "H-how am I going to explain this?" He breathed, looking down at his wrists. "And the welts on my back..."

"Just don't. If you don't wanna tell them, just don't." Richie nodded. "Just say you were lost in the woods. You fell down a lot. You were trying to walk in the dark, running into trees and branches, falling down, scraping yourself up... If they say the marks look like something else, just shrug and say you don't know. Keep the jacket sleeves pulled down. They might not even see."

Eddie blinked back tears and nodded, but then looked up with a short breath as he noticed a car approaching. "Oh fuck..." He breathed. He wasn't ready to talk to anyone.

"It's okay... You're alright. Just say only what you want them to know. Alright? I'll be right with you." Richie promised, reaching up and zipping Eddie's jacket up all the way. "Just keep everything covered if you don't want them to see it."

Eddie felt his breaths increasing even more as the car drew nearer. He kind of wanted to run... He legitimately felt like it might be a better alternative to just turn back around, head for the trees, and fucking run. "It's a cop car, Rich... What if it's Henry's dad? Oh my god... Oh my god..."

"Henry's dad isn't the one who hurt you... If it's him, it's him. I'll be right with you anyway." Richie repeated, rubbing his hands up and down over Eddie's arms. "You're okay... You need your inhaler?"

"No." Eddie whispered, staring as the car pulled up beside them and the driver rolled down his window. Eddie exhaled shakily when he saw it was a different cop. A younger man. That was a slight relief, but he was still nervous.

"Excuse me, boys... What's your name, son?" The man frowned as he stared with concern at Eddie.

Eddie felt his breath catch in his throat. He couldn't bring himself to answer. He felt paralyzed. He kind of wanted to lie, make up a fake name. He felt like he was going to be in trouble. It didn't make sense. He realized he hadn't done anything wrong... but he was trying to hide what really happened... He'd be lying... to the police. Wasn't that a crime?

"He's Eddie." Richie answered for him. "Kaspbrak. The missing kid... I found him in the woods."

The cop exhaled and put the car into park in the middle of the road, opening his door and stepping out.

Eddie shrunk down, staring up at the man with wide eyes. He felt like he was in trouble, like this cop was going to be mad at him for being missing. What if he lied to them and they found out? Could he go to jail for that?

"Oh man... Everyone's going to be so relieved. I can't believe this... So many kids have just vanished... but here you both are... This is miracle... Where were you? We searched the woods yesterday... Three different search parties." The cop rambled in one breath, opening his car trunk and pulling out a couple blankets. "It's almost forty degrees out here..." He noted, placing a blanket around Eddie's shoulders and handing other one to Richie. "You boys okay? You're Richard Tozier, right? Your mother is very upset too." The cop shook his head as though disappointed when he looked at Richie. "She woke up this morning and you were gone... With so many other kids going missing..." He trailed off.

Eddie looked over at Richie, who let out a nervous exhale. "She wanted us all to stop looking for the night... She wouldn't let me keep looking. I snuck out my window. I had to find him..." He breathed.

Eddie felt a small smile tugging at his lips as he realized his friends had all legitimately been looking for him, tirelessly. They were probably all so worried. It made him feel kind of guilty, but it was also kind of nice - he had friends who cared that he was gone, who noticed and worried. He wondered if any of the others were out searching right now. He bet they were. They were all so caring, so perfect.

"Let's get you both to the station." The cop smiled nervously and exhaled a breath. "I'm so happy you're both safe. This is amazing... We'll call your moms... You might need to head to the hospital first... You, definitely, Edward, but-"

"No." Eddie interrupted, shaking his head and stepping back. "I don't wanna go to the hospital..."

"They won't hurt you, son. You don't need to be scared. It's just to make sure you're alright... You look pretty scuffed up, and you were out all night in the cold. We can wait until your mom gets there..." The officer explained.

Eddie shook his head. "No. I'm not going to the doctor. I don't want to..." He whispered, wishing he didn't sound so out of breath.

The cop frowned, opening the back door and nodding. "Okay... Police station for now... We'll call your moms and go from there."

Eddie swallowed nervously and climbed into the back seat. He wanted to feel relieved, but he knew a lot of questions were coming. Difficult questions.

He smiled as he felt Richie's hand grab his own as the cop put the car into drive and started back toward town.

"I'm right here, Eds." Richie whispered, squeezing his hand lightly.

Eddie nodded, squeezing back. He was glad Richie was here with him, and he realized things couldn't possibly get any worse than they had been at Henry's house. He was safe now. The cops wouldn't hurt him. The doctors wouldn't either - if he was indeed forced to go there. He wasn't on trial here... but for some reason, he still felt like he was in trouble.

**xxxxxx**


	22. Chapter 22

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**Chapter 22**

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"Can't Richie come in too?" Eddie breathed as Bruce Bowers placed a cup of water in front of him. Out of all the cops, why did he have to talk to Bruce? And why did he have to do so all alone? He couldn't exactly request a different officer - not without people wondering why.

"I'd like to just talk to you for now. You're not in trouble." Bruce forced a smile. It didn't look sincere. He looked kind of mad. "Your friend is right outside... I just need your version of everything to start."

Eddie swallowed, looking down at the water. He was pretty thirsty, but he almost felt like the beverage was a trap. He realized he was at the police station... They weren't going to poison him or make him drink whiskey first... Bruce didn't know Eddie had been at his own house all night. He couldn't know. He had no reason to do anything cruel to Eddie. He was just doing his job at this point. Eddie still couldn't bring himself to trust the water though.

"Can I get you anything else? You hungry? Is it warm enough in here? You're kinda shaking..." Bruce noted.

Eddie crossed his arms over his chest so that his hands were over his upper arms. "I'm just nervous..." He whispered, fiddling with the fabric between his fingers, grabbing a sleeve in each of his hands.

"Well, you don't have to be." Bruce Bowers smiled, sitting down in the chair opposite Eddie. "I'm just here to get the truth from you, alright? Just answer my questions. Be honest. That's it. You're not in trouble." He said again. But Eddie felt like he was in trouble...

"If Richie just doesn't say anything, can he come in here?" Eddie whispered, shrinking back in the chair. "J-just to sit in here..."

Bruce shook his head. "You'll see him soon. You're not in trouble Ev-um..." He glanced down at a piece of paper on the table in front of him. Eddie stuck his lower lip out. Bruce didn't even remember his name. "Um. Edward. Eddie. Right? You have people call you Eddie?"

Eddie swallowed and nodded.

"So can you tell me what happened? Where you were all this time?" Bruce stared.

Eddie bit his lower lip and stared down at the cup of water in front of him. He had to start talking. He was going to look like he was lying if he didn't say something soon. "I got lost." He whispered, still scared to look up.

"Lost where?" Bruce asked.

Swallowing, Eddie reached out with one hand, running his fingertip over the rim of the cup. "Um... In the woods. I went out there and I guess... I guess I walked too far off of any paths and I got lost. I kept trying to find my way back, but I got more lost."

"You look like you've been through a lot, son." Bruce noted. "You got marks all over you..."

"I was walking in the dark. I fell down a lot... Ran into branches and bushes and stuff... It was raining earlier, so I slipped..." He lied, remembering what Richie told him she should say. "The tree branches scratched me I guess... I stumbled a lot. It was dark. There were rocks and branches and hills and bushes and it's just... kind of rough..." He breathed, forcing a nervous laugh.

"What's this?" Bruce leaned over the table and reached toward Eddie's neck.

Eddie inhaled a sharp breath and shrunk back. "Don't." He whispered, slapping the cop's hand away, then staring back with wide eyes. "Shit... I'm sorry..." He gasped when he saw a flash of anger in the cop's eyes.

Bruce set his mouth in a line and stared, forcing a very obviously fake smile. "It's okay..." He breathed. "Listen... Let's be real here, okay? I realize you know who my son is."

Eddie swallowed, staring silently back. Did he suspect something? Did he find something in the basement... Eddie's shirt maybe? The piece of tape that had been over Eddie's mouth? The ones around his ankles? The ones he managed to take off... The broken window?

"I see him picking on you and your friends... He associates with the trashiest kids in town. I get it. He's scary... He's a rough little asshole bully. But I'm not him. Okay?" He reached over and grabbed Eddie's hand, squeezing a little tighter than what would have maybe been reassuring.

Eddie held his breath as he looked down at his hand. He wanted to move it, shove Bruce's hand away... But he didn't.

"You can trust me. My son's a waste of space, alright? I get that. He's a little prick. But I'm not. I'm a police officer. It's my job to help people. So you've gotta tell me what happened, and it's got to be the truth. Those are finger-shaped bruises on your neck. No tree branch did that." Bruce guessed.

Swallowing, Eddie continued staring at the man. Richie told him to just refuse to answer. To say it was tree branches and shrubs and whatever was in the woods and say he didn't know if the cops asked more questions.

"Somebody hurt you." Bruce stated. "Not tree or a bush. A person."

Eddie stared back, silently allowing the man to go on. He'd let him talk as long as he wanted. So long as Eddie didn't didn't have to say anything back... Or confirm that any of his guesses were true. He didn't have to answer, did he? He couldn't get in trouble for that. Eddie wasn't the one who kidnapped someone... He was the victim of this. Victims couldn't get in trouble for being hurt, even if they refused to talk about it. That was true, wasn't it?

"Trees don't have hands. They don't have fingers. They don't grab boys by their necks. They don't punch people across the face." The cop went on, nodding and gesturing toward Eddie's cheek. "That bruise under your eye looks pretty painful. Like someone hit you. Did someone hit you, Evan?"

Eddie stared, feeling himself growing a little more angry than he was scared. Bruce didn't give a damn about him. Just like Henry had said. He couldn't even get Eddie's name right. He didn't care what happened. He just wanted an answer to write down in his case file. He wasn't a good person. "No." He whispered.

"How's things with your mom?" Butch asked.

Eddie shrugged. "Fine." He spoke in a tiny voice. Did Bruce think his mom did this?

Butch exhaled and shook his head. He seemed frustrated, which really wasn't fair. None of this was Eddie's fault, and Bruce was the last person he'd tell the truth about all this to.

"She seems to almost enjoy it when you're sick." Bruce noted. "Like she gets some kind of rush out of taking you to the hospital, picking up your medicines from the pharmacy... She gets a lot of sympathy from people around town. You know that, right? Your suffering is lots of attention for her... And she loves it."

Eddie stuck out his lower lip in a pout. Was Bruce suggesting his mom hurt him for attention? It was true she could be a little over-the-top with her paranoia... She worried a lot more than she probably needed to about Eddie's health... But she wouldn't ever hit him or choke him...

"You realize protecting someone who hurt you is just going to make things worse, right?" Bruce stared. "Even if it's someone you love, someone you're scared of. She'll do worse and worse as long as you keep quiet."

Eddie swallowed and stared. It was interesting that Bruce would say that considering how he treated his own child.

"You've gotta tell me." Bruce went on. "She won't be able to hurt you anymore if you just tell the truth."

Eddie continued staring silently. He wondered what Bruce would do if Eddie seriously did tell him the truth. He thought Eddie's mom hurt him... He had no idea it was Henry. He wondered if he said anything if Bruce would believe it. If he'd threaten to kill him if he said anything about it to anyone else. Maybe he actually would kill him. Maybe he'd strangle him to death right here... Tell the other cops Eddie must have died from an injury he had gotten while he was missing - or from a bad asthma attack.

"Those bruises look harsh, Evan." Bruce went on. "Painful. Violent. Your friend who was with you. Richard..."

"No." Eddie interrupted, shaking his head. "Richie didn't do anything. Neither did my mom."

Bruce gave him a stare that indicated he thought the boy was lying. "If someone threatened you, we can keep you safe. It's our job..." He narrowed his eyes as he stared back at Eddie's neck, then down toward his chest.

Eddie frowned and reached down, pulling Richie's jacket closer, yanking the neck-line up to better cover his injuries. "Can I go? I didn't do anything wrong... I was just lost. I'm back now. There's no crime... No need for police..."

Bruce leaned forward, grabbing Eddie's hand and moving it to the side as he reached toward the zipper of the jacket and tugged it down.

Eddie whimpered and reached back for the zipper himself. "Stop!" He gasped.

"We found your jacket along the side of the road. Nowhere near the woods." Bruce noted, tugging the zipper down more. "This is interesting...You're wearing this jacket...No shirt. Jacket's way too big... And you've got welts and..." He paused with a sharp wince. "Pretty painful-looking bruises... Somebody did this to you. Somebody beat you, grabbed you, threw your jacket along the road... You need to tell me who. Whose jacket is this? Who hurt you, Evan?"

"No." Eddie stood up, knocking the chair back so that it almost fell over. He was tired of so many adults and older kids pushing him around, scaring him, threatening him. "Nobody did anything. I wanna go home..."

"If somebody's hurting you, you can't keep protecting them." Bruce stared, taking a step toward Eddie as the boy backed himself further against the wall. What the hell was he going to do? Why was he cornering Eddie in an interrogation room? He realized Eddie wasn't a criminal, right?

"Get away from me." Eddie breathed, pressing his back against the wall.

"I'm not trying to scare you here, kid..." Bruce raised his hands in defense.

"Eddie!" Eddie's ears perked up when he heard a sound that was unexpectedly comforting - his mom's voice. "Eddie, baby, you in there?" She knocked against the door, then pulled it open.

"Mommy!" Eddie whimpered, feeling tears spill down his cheeks. He didn't realize how much he needed her right now. He hadn't wanted to go home. He was scared of her being overbearing, asking too many questions, being mad at him for getting into this mess... But at this moment, he only wanted her to hug him, hold him close, be overprotective.

Eddie's mom grabbed him up into a secure hug, holding him close against her chest as he choked out breathless sobs. "How dare you?" She glared at Bruce. "Can't you see you're scaring him? How dare you take him in here, all alone? Question him like he's a criminal... He obviously just escaped kidnappers..."

"I was lost in the woods..." Eddie spoke up, but allowed his mom to keep her arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"He's covered in bruises and welts. We've gotta get to the bottom of this, ma'am. Having other people present in the room during things like this leads to a lot of children withholding information. That's why I wanted to talk to him alone. With all due respect, you need to leave." Bruce took a step toward them.

Sonia pulled Eddie back. "No. You're terrifying the poor boy. You can't talk to him like this. You can't corner him and threaten and scare him and then expect him to tell you what happened. He has a lot of medical conditions your aggressive tactics will exacerbate. You're going to give him a panic attack. I'm taking him to the hospital."

"No." Eddie shook his head.

"Did she do this to you, Evan? Tell the truth." Bruce stared.

Eddie shook his head. "No. She didn't... I swear."

"You have a lot of nerve, Officer Bowers, accusing me..." Eddie's mom pulled him closer. "I think you're projecting your own feelings. Your son is a little monster. Mine's not. I'd never feel compelled to hurt him. He's a delicate little angel."

"And you seem to get off on seeing him sick and hurt." Bruce accused. "You wanted more attention, and this gave it to you."

"How dare you!?" Sonia's voice rose.

"Stop!" Eddie finally spoke up. "Both of you, stop... You can't make me stay here. I didn't do anything wrong." He stared at Bruce, feeling himself shaking, half-expecting the cop to smack him in a fit of anger. "Mom didn't do this. I told you already. Stop accusing her. Mom, let's just go home. I just wanna go home..." He whimpered, his lip trembling.

"Evan-" Bruce stepped forward.

"My name's not fucking Evan." Eddie growled, pulling his hands into fists. "I'm done. I told you everything."

Bruce looked like he wanted to hit Eddie, but he obviously couldn't.

"You can't make me stay here. I told you the truth. I can't force you to believe it... but I told you everything there is to tell. I didn't do anything wrong. You can't make me stay..." Eddie reminded him again.

Finally, Bruce exhaled and shook his head. "Fine... That's true. I can't keep you here... I can't force you to talk. I wish you'd tell me the truth... But I can't force you to."

"I am telling the truth." Eddie lied, feeling his heart pounding. Lying went completely against his nature.

"You're right, Eddie... He can't keep you here if you're not under arrest... which you aren't. Let's go, Sweetie... We'll talk about it in the car. Whoever did this-" Sonia started.

"I was just lost. It was tree branches I ran into. I tripped and fell. No one did anything." Eddie promised as his mom put her arm around his shoulders and started leading him out of the interrogation room.

"Eddie, you okay?" Richie stood up and headed over as soon as they made it back out into the waiting area.

"Don't you touch him." His mom pulled Eddie back. "Don't think I can't see right through this act of yours. You and all your rough little friends, playing with him like he's your little toy that you can just throw around. You can't treat him like that. He gets hurt easily."

"Mrs. Kaspbrak, I didn't do anything. I swear." Richie frowned, looking down and sticking his lip out in a small pout.

"No, of course not. Just got him lost in the woods all night. He could have died." Sonia hugged Eddie tighter.

"Mom, he didn't-" Eddie spoke up.

"Shhh. Mommy's here now. You don't have to be scared of him or anybody else. You won't be playing with these rough older boys anymore." Sonia promised. "I'll keep you safe, baby."

"Mom, stop... He's not even older... We're the same age. And he's not rough. He didn't get me lost. I got myself lost. He found me. I'd still be out there if he didn't." Eddie frowned.

"You can stay home with me from now on. These boys are a bad influence." She pulled him toward the door.

"Mom, stop!" Eddie finally yelled, shrugging down out of her grip. He breathed in and out, staring around the room at various police officers who stared back as though worried Sonia might do something. Of course, Bruce seemed to think his mom hurt him. Maybe they all did. This moment certainly wasn't doing her any favors.

"Eddie..." She spoke in a low voice. "Don't cause a scene..." She looked around nervously, clearly noticing the judgmental stares from the cops.

"I am gonna hang out with Richie still." Eddie breathed. "You can't keep me from him, or Bill or Mike or anyone else. They're my friends. They're not rough with me. They protect me all the time. More than you do. Against real stuff. They don't just shove medicine down my throat and keep me locked in a room by myself. They help me when something dangerous actually shows up."

He glanced toward Richie, who looked legitimately shocked and for once, speechless, as he stared with his mouth hanging open.

"I got lost in the woods. I took a weird route to Bill's house from Richie's because I didn't want anyone to see me walking and tell on me - tell on me to you... Because you're over-protective to the point of it being suffocating. I would have been safe at Richie's house if not for you, Mom." Eddie breathed, feeling his chest growing tight. He was kind of making himself feel light headed. He couldn't believe his own bravery right now, but after everything else, it seemed kind of necessary.

"You should have just gone to Bill's in the fist place, baby..." His mom whispered.

"His brother went missing, Mom. Why do you think his house is safe? You just don't like Richie... But I do." Eddie breathed.

His mom looked nervous, but finally stopped talking. She stared down at him, as though she honestly cared what he had to say.

"I only went off alone because I knew you'd be mad at me for being at Richie's... But Richie's always careful with me, and not just because you think the world will kill me if I take a step outside alone. He's my friend. He cares about me. And you're not going to keep me away from him." Eddie said again. "He's the one who kept looking after everyone else went to sleep. He's the one who found me... Gave me his jacket, made sure I stayed warm and brought me back into town."

Sonia pressed her lips into a tight line and glanced back toward Richie, who swallowed nervously and shifted from one foot to the other.

"He kept me safe." Eddie went on. "He made a fire while we waited for it to get light... He let me sleep against him, helped me back out to the road. I'd still be out there if not for him. So you should be thanking him, not accusing him of shit."

Sonia swallowed, then looked back at Richie again. "Thank you, Richard..." She finally said. "I'm sorry... Thank you for finding him, for keeping him safe until I got here..." She exhaled, then looked back down at her son. "I just want you to be safe, Eddie..." She looked like she wanted to cry. "I was so scared when you weren't at Bill's house. I thought someone took you..."

Eddie blinked back his own tears. She was right... But he couldn't tell her that. "I'm okay now... I was just lost... I fell down and got scuffed up, but I'm okay. It's not Richie's fault... or yours... Just maybe kind of my own... It was bad luck, an accident... I'm alright..."

"I won't keep you from your friends." She finally agreed. "I just worry about you, Sweetheart."

"I know. I'm sorry for scaring you... But it's all okay now. I just wanna go home." Eddie breathed, realizing he was still exhausted.

"Alright." She agreed.

Eddie exhaled and leaned against her as she pulled him close again. He felt genuinely relieved and accomplished right now. Maybe he had no power when Henry Bowers and Patrick had him, but he did now. He told the cop to leave him alone, he told his mom to stop... He actually had some control here.

He smiled toward Richie, who smiled back, also looking relieved that Eddie had stood up to his mother, defended him. "See you later, Rich." Eddie spoke up waving a small wave. "Thanks for finding me..."

"You're welcome, Eds. See ya Mrs. Kaspbrak." Richie added.

Sonia forced a smile for Richie, then led her son out of the station. "I'm glad you're okay, Eddie... Sorry I was so harsh... I just worry so much..."

"I know." Eddie exhaled. "Just be nice to my friends. They worry about me too. They're on the same side as you."

Sonia laughed softly. "I guess you're right. Let's get you home."

Eddie hugged his mom back as they reached the car. For all her faults, she did love him. It was suffocating at times, but her heart was in the right place. After hearing how Henry's dad treated him, Eddie realized he could have it a whole hell of a lot worse.

**xxxxxx**


	23. Chapter 23

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**Chapter 23**

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"-And Stanley tripped and pretty much fell straight into a trashcan!" Eddie laughed, finishing a rather long story Richie couldn't even remember the beginning of at this point.

Richie smiled as he looked over at Eddie, who looked so carefree as he laughed and walked along the road. He was happy to see his friend was pretty much back to his old self. They were able to joke around like always. Eddie wasn't jumping at every little sound or movement - not any more than he always did.

His mom had kept him locked away in their house for about a week, but did let Eddie call and talk to Richie on the phone. Richie didn't take it personally, as he realized Sonia was trying her best to honor Eddie's wishes to not be kept from his friends. She was paranoid. It wasn't against Richie specifically. She wouldn't let Eddie go anywhere without her for a couple days... and Richie could hardly blame her. In fact, he kind of wished he could be in her place, keeping track of Eddie at all times, knowing he was okay.

Apparently she bought Eddie's story about being lost in the woods. She even didn't make him go to the doctor. Maybe Eddie really did hide all of his injuries well enough to fool her.

It took her a lot less time than Richie would have guessed to finally let her son go out into the world on his own again. She actually invited Richie, Bill, and Mike over, sat them down, and specifically told them to watch out for Eddie - to make sure he didn't go anywhere alone. Maybe she didn't trust Stanley, Ben, or Beverly to watch out for him. Maybe she just didn't like them. Richie wasn't sure how she chose which of Eddie's friends to give these directions to... But a part of him felt honored that she'd chosen him as one of the three to invite over.

Richie kind of thought Sonia was fucking nuts, and wouldn't have faulted anyone for not making her list of approved playmates for her son... Even so, he kind of felt accomplished having achieved a sort of approval from the woman. Now he just needed to make sure to do what he said he'd do - keep Eddie safe. He always tried to do that - ever since they were tiny kids. Eddie was always smaller, quieter, more scared than Richie. He'd been a sort of older-brother figure to Eddie since they were little kids. But he was going to be even more careful now - for a while at least. No more walking home alone, no more walking anywhere alone. Eddie was worth the extra walking. Richie was glad to go out of his way to make sure Eddie got everywhere he wanted to go safe and sound.

"I mean, he like went head-first. Caught himself with his hands, but I'm pretty sure both arms were like fully in the trash can. I didn't laugh, but I kind of wanted to." Eddie smirked, looking down at his shoes and then back toward Richie. "Stanley's so serious."

"Yeah, he is." Richie agreed. "He's gotta learn to chill the fuck out."

Eddie looked up as they neared the big wooden bridge all the kids called the 'kissing bridge.' He gestured toward it and nodded. "I heard Mary Singleton carved her name with just T. L. after it. People think it's Tasha Langton."

Richie shrugged. They barely knew either of those girls. They were juniors or seniors in high school. Their relationship status couldn't possibly surprise him. It was bold for a young girl to publicly claim to be dating another young girl, especially in this town... but Richie wished it weren't so.

"Can you believe she did that?" Eddie whispered, leaning closer to Richie as they walked into the bridge. "People are gonna make fun of her for it."

Richie frowned. "Well, if they like each other..."

"I know. Just... Kids are fucking mean." Eddie noted. "I'd never carve my name on here. No matter what. People are gonna judge you and make fun of you - no matter who the other person is."

"That's why most people do initials." Richie shrugged.

"But people can guess. How many people have the initials 'T. L.' anyway?" Eddie wondered. "I mean, like at our school. I don't think a lot of adults-" He cut himself off with a startled gasp as they reached the end of the bridge.

For a moment, Richie wasn't sure what happened, until Eddie stumbled back and Richie looked up toward where the smaller boy had been. His breaths froze in his chest when he saw Patrick staring back at him with a smirk.

Richie immediately grabbed Eddie's arm, pulling him back and putting himself between his friend and Patrick. "Eddie, go back the way we came." Richie whispered, shoving backward with his arm.

"No." Eddie whispered back, standing close behind Richie, gripping his hand. "I'm not leaving you here.

Richie exhaled. "Eds, go... I'll be fine..." He insisted. They both knew Patrick was very interested in hurting Eddie specifically. Eddie needed to fucking leave.

"Aren't you two just fucking sweet?" Patrick smirked, taking a step toward them. "I knew you'd walk this way. Figures two little fags would walk through the kissing bridge."

Richie glared, but his chest felt frozen. Patrick had a knife in his hand.

"So I've been thinking... Did your little girlfriend here tell you what he and I got up to last week?" Patrick laughed, glancing from Richie to Eddie. "He pretended like he didn't like it, but he had lots of chances to leave... I've been thinking about it - I remember exactly where we left off... so I'm ready when you are." He stepped forward, thrusting his hips and gesturing toward his crotch. "Give it a good suck and I won't break your arm... I'll let you both go. Be difficult, and maybe I'll give you and Trashmouth both a ride... A rough one. Then gut you both and throw you over the bridge."

"Don't you fucking touch him." Richie glared, backing both himself and Eddie up further. Patrick took a step forward each time the younger boys took a step back. Richie exhaled and shook his head. "You might scare him... You might scare everybody in Derry... But you don't scare me. I'm not putting up with this shit anymore. I'll go to the cops. I don't fucking care. Leave us alone."

"Richie, don't..." Eddie whispered, squeezing Richie's hand tighter. "We should both run... Let's just go..."

Richie swallowed. That wasn't an option. Patrick was fast. He'd catch one of them, and it would probably be Eddie, who wouldn't be able to run far before getting out of breath. "Eds, just go." Richie repeated, pulling his hand out of Eddie's tight grip and shoving his arm back behind him, trying to push his friend back. "Go." He hissed again, starting to feel frustrated that Eddie didn't have the sense to just save himself. Richie would rather Patrick actually kill him than have Eddie get hurt again - especially in the way Patrick clearly wanted to hurt him.

"Come on, Pretty Boy. It won't hurt." Patrick unzipped his jeans and smirked. "Your little boyfriend can take notes and suck you off next." He laughed. "I know he wants to."

Richie glared, balling his hands into fists. "You fucking kidding me right now, Patrick?" Richie breathed, determined to take any and all focus off of Eddie right here and now. "You're calling us fags? You come up to two thirteen year old boys, tell us you wanna fuck us, and you call us fags. Let me just make sure I'm clear on this - you, who specifically just said you want to have sex with younger boys... are calling us fags."

Patrick stared, narrowing his eyes. "Give me your friend, or I'll fucking stab you both." He growled.

"No." Richie growled back. "Eddie, run!" He demanded again, lunging toward Patrick, grabbing toward his knife-hand first, miraculously knocking the knife out of his grip without getting himself stabbed.

"Little fucker!" Patrick grumbled, grabbing Richie's arm and twisting it behind his back. Richie felt a fist slam into his lower back as he sunk down to the ground with a sharp wince.

"Fuck..." Richie breathed as he noticed Eddie was still standing in the road, staring, seemingly frozen in fear. "Eds, go, god damn it!"

Patrick laughed as he threw Richie to the ground and started kicking him. "You don't get to call me a faggot, you loud-mouth, four-eyed fuckin' queer. You learn your god damned place... Now I'm gonna break your fuckin' arms, and your legs, and then you get to watch me pin your weak, crybaby little friend up against the wall of this bridge while I ram my dick up his ass."

Richie groaned as he struggled to pull himself up to his feet, but fell right back down when Patrick's foot connected with his ribs again and pain shot through him. He could barely even breathe anymore.

"Stop!" Eddie's voice screamed. Richie turned his head toward his friend's voice to see Eddie running up to him and Patrick, clearly ready to defend Richie. "Stop it!" Eddie's little voice shook.

"Eddie, don't!" Richie whimpered. "Just run! Please!" He felt fear and panic bubbling up in his chest. He couldn't bear to watch Patrick hurt his friend. Eddie needed to go while he still could.

Richie choked out a pained breath as Patrick kicked him again, but apparently Eddie had made it over by this point, and was grabbing onto the older boy's arm, pulling him back.

"Get off of him!" Eddie demanded, suddenly finding his bravery the one time Richie actually didn't want him to. He wanted Eddie to run, to save himself. Richie drew Patrick's attention toward himself for a reason, so Eddie would be able to get away. Of course the smaller boy would choose now to take a stand. "Leave him alone!" Eddie screamed, punching out at Patrick's arm as the older boy kicked Richie's ribs again.

The next thing Richie heard was Eddie whimpering as Patrick turned his attention toward the smaller boy, grabbing him and dragging him over toward the wooden wall of the bridge.

"Patrick, don't-" Richie coughed, groaning at the pain in his ribs as he struggled to pull himself to his feet.

Eddie let out a pained scream as Patrick twisted his arm back behind him and shoved him hard face-first against the wooden wall. "Should'a run like your friend told you." Patrick breathed.

"Stop!" Richie screamed, pulling himself up onto shaking legs.

"Patrick! What the fuck?!" Henry's voice suddenly growled from somewhere nearby.

Richie let out a shaking breath as he looked around himself, spotting Henry at the other end of the bridge. "Fuck..." He breathed. That was just great. Now they were even more out-matched. With a frustrated groan, Richie focused back on Patrick. He needed to get Eddie away from the older boy first... Then he could plead their case to Henry.

"Get off of him!" Richie screamed, staggering up to Patrick, who had pressed Eddie even harder against the wall and was grabbing toward the waist of the sobbing, shaking boy's pants.

"Hold still, you little fucker. We're pressed for time." Patrick breathed, tugging Eddie's pants and underwear down his thighs as the smaller boy choked out a pained, terrified sob.

"Patrick, please don't!" Eddie cried.

Richie grabbed out at Patrick's arm, pulling uselessly as the older boy turned toward him long enough to punch him across the face, sending his glasses flying and Richie himself stumbling backward into the road.

Richie fell back with a pained wince, landing on the hard asphalt and bringing his hand up toward his cheek, then wiping his arm across his nose, smearing red over his sleeve, but immediately moving to stand back up when he heard Eddie cry out again. He sounded so scared, so out of breath, so heartbroken.

"Patrick, let him go." Henry demanded as he made his way up to his friend, put his hand on Patrick's shoulder, and pulled him back.

Richie held his breath and stared, wondering if the two friends were going to argue about this. Eddie had noted that during his captivity, Henry seemed to disapprove of Patrick's sexual threats. Maybe Henry was going to be their ticket out of this. It might be the window he and Eddie needed to get out of this mess.

"What's your problem?" Patrick laughed. "Just let me finish this. It'll be like five minutes, tops." He noted, reaching down and grabbing into the front of his own pants as he shoved Eddie harder against the wall, kicking his legs apart.

"Don't!" Eddie sobbed.

"God damn it, Patrick." Henry stared, shaking his head in disgust.

"What?" Patrick laughed, smirking right up until the point at which Henry balled his hand into a fist and slammed it hard against the side of Patrick's face. "What the fuck, Henry!?" Patrick groaned, stumbling back, letting go of Eddie in the process.

"You're not doing this. You wanna fuck boys, find one who wants to fuck you back. We're not little kid rapists. I don't know why I have to keep fucking telling you this. You touch this fucking kid again-" Henry started.

"What? Hm? What are you gonna do, Henry? You claiming this little brat as your own or something? What are you gonna do about it if I fuck him? Huh?" Patrick growled, grabbing Eddie's arm and slamming him back up against the wall.

Eddie let out a pained, frightened whimper, but remained otherwise quiet, sniffing back soft, shaky sobs as he reached down with shaking, fumbling fingers and pulled his underwear and pants back up.

"Gonna trash your fucking alibi is what I'm gonna do." Henry stared, grabbing Eddie by his arm and pulling him back away from Patrick.

Richie held his breath as he stared, silently contemplating trying to grab his friend away from Henry. It was odd - it seemed like Henry was defending Eddie... Richie didn't know if he should try to steal him away or just wait. He grabbed his glasses off the ground and put them back on, blinking and staring, waiting to see what was going to happen.

Eddie let out a tiny, breathless whimper as his eyes darted from Patrick, to Henry, to Richie. He looked so uncertain, so scared. But he remained quiet, probably wondering the same thing Richie was - if trying to get away from Henry would just ruin a good thing - if Henry was defending him - on the condition that Eddie stay still and not fight him.

"What are you talking about?" Patrick stared. "What alibi?"

"Guess I'd have to clarify, huh? 'Cuz I've provided so fucking many, you god damned criminal pervert. The night of the barn fire... I know you did it. My dad knows... Everybody knows. Only thing keeping you out of jail is me saying you and I were together. Vic saying he was there too. He'll turn on you if I tell him to. Especially if I tell him you're a little-boy-fucker." Henry breathed.

Patrick didn't say anything back as he glared at his friend.

"And I know about other things too." Henry noted. "The animals."

"That wasn't just me. You did that too." Patrick growled.

Richie watched as Eddie looked wide-eyed up from one of their bullies to the other, clearly no longer knowing what either of them were talking about. He was quiet obviously scared, confused... So was Richie. But if Henry had dirt on Patrick that would keep Patrick away from them, Richie was all for it.

"I didn't do it like you did. Couple cats is nothing compared to all those rabbits and that dog. And the horse... That one could probably really get you in trouble. Those cost a lot of money. And what you did..." Henry looked kind of sick. Richie wondered what the they they had done, but he kind of didn't want to know. "You always take things too far..." Henry frowned.

Patrick frowned too, looking down like he honestly didn't mean to do whatever it was Henry was referencing, like he was ashamed... But Richie doubted he was capable of that.

"I'm not kidding. I'll run my mouth... I'll tell my dad so much shit about you that you'll spend the rest of your life in prison. Don't you ever touch this kid again." Henry growled, perhaps squeezing Eddie's arm a bit too hard on accident - or maybe on purpose - judging by Eddie's tiny, but sharp inhale. "You stay away from him. That one too." He gestured back at Richie. "And actually, if you can't keep your dick in your pants, maybe you just need to stay away from all of 'em."

Patrick exhaled. "Fine. We'll go back to the old stuff. We just won't do the sex things. Kind of boring... But whatever." He rolled his eyes. "Give him here. I'll just break his arm or something."

Eddie whimpered softly and shrunk down as Patrick reached for him.

"No." Henry tugged the smaller boy back. "This one's off-limits entirely for you. You're too much of a fuckin' creep. I can't even in good-conscience advise that you even be allowed to look at him. You'd probably come all over yourself just knowing he's nearby. You gross fuck. Now go home. Don't let me see or hear of you laying a finger on this kid. Understand?"

Patrick laughed. "What's he like your pet now?"

"Yeah." Henry glared. "Call it whatever you want. Just leave him the fuck alone."

"Whatever." Patrick scoffed, grabbing his knife up out of the road, turning and walking away.

"I mean it, Patrick!" Henry yelled as his friend walked away. "I'll find out... and your life'll be over!"

"Okay, Bowers. Fuck!" Patrick screamed back, but kept walking.

Henry let out a loud breath as he looked down at Eddie, then toward Richie. "Sorry about him." He grumbled.

Richie stared with wide eyes, giving Eddie a confused look. This was the last thing he expected to happen - for fucking Henry Bowers to be their knight in shining armor.

"You okay?" Henry asked, looking down at Eddie and letting go of his arm.

"Yeah..." Eddie breathed in a small whisper as he remained perfectly still, obviously unsure of what Henry was going to do next. "He didn't hurt me... I'm okay."

"Good." Henry exhaled, walking up to Richie next, reaching down, grabbing his arms and pulling him to his feet. "He does anything to either of you, you let me know, alright?"

Richie stared at Henry, totally unsure what to say. Was he serious? He was acting like a person right now - like an almost normal human being. Richie had never, ever in his life witnessed Henry give a single fuck about anyone else getting hurt. Why the fuck was he acting protective right now? And even toward Richie! Richie didn't miss that - Henry told Patrick to stay away from him too - not just Eddie.

"Listen." Henry turned back toward Eddie, who had taken a few steps back toward the bridge's wall and stared up at Henry with huge eyes. "You and I aren't friends, okay? I don't have any obligation to protect or defend you... But I don't like what Patrick tried to do... I don't like what I threatened to do to you." He paused, looking down as though ashamed as he lowered his voice. "What I made you think I was gonna do... I was wrong. That's sick, and I was wrong."

Eddie remained silent, still staring with his mouth hanging slightly open. He was clearly completely shocked by what he was hearing. So was Richie. Henry Bowers was actually apologizing for something he did. Richie never thought he'd see the day that happened... Eddie clearly didn't either.

"I mean it. I really am sorry..." Henry shrugged. "For whatever that's worth. I'll beat the shit out of Patrick if he ever touches you again. This doesn't change anything else. You're still both little vermin. I might still break your fucking fingers or shove you into a ditch if I get bored. Just..." He trailed off, then shrugged again. "I've got limits... Lines I don't cross. Lines I won't let Patrick cross. And that's one of them."

"Okay." Richie breathed after a brief moment of all three of them standing in awkward silence. "Alright then." Richie laughed nervously, walking over and grabbing Eddie's arm. "That's great. We'll take it. Come on, Eds..."

Henry laughed and grinned toward Richie. "You're lucky I'm feeling generous. Get out of here before I change my mind."

Richie nodded, grabbing Eddie's arm and pulling him back the way they came. It didn't matter that they were going the wrong way now. He couldn't take Eddie the same direction Patrick just went...

"Motherfuck, these bullies are fucking unpredictable lately, huh?" Richie breathed as he quickened his pace, practically dragging Eddie along behind him.

The smaller boy looked over his shoulder back at the bridge as he let Richie pull him down the road. "Henry Bowers just fucking apologized, Richie. Can you believe it?" He breathed.

"Well it's about fuckin' time, Eds. He put you through hell." Richie frowned. "You deserve an apology and more."

Eddie laughed softly and shrugged. "I think he didn't mean for it all to go that far... Like maybe he thought it was all fun and games and then Patrick-"

"Fun and games, Eds?" Richie put his hand on Eddie's chin so the other boy would look at him. "He beat you with a belt."

"Yeah." Eddie breathed, looking down. "An apology is something though. He seems to regret a lot of it at least."

"Guess so..." Richie exhaled. "Still think we should stay the fuck away from him."

"No doubt... Do you think he means it?" Eddie wondered. "Do you think he'd really beat up Patrick?"

"Uh, yeah." Richie noted. "He almost just did, I think. That was fucking tense... Are you okay?" He finally asked, just now remembering that Eddie had been whimpering and crying as Patrick slammed him up against the wall and twisted his arm behind his back. For all Richie knew, Eddie's arm could be broken, sprained, dislocated...

Eddie stopped walking and looked up at Richie, who stopped as well. "I'm fine... Are you?" He frowned.

Richie laughed softly. Patrick had been pretty rough, and Richie could see in Eddie's eyes that the younger boy felt it was ridiculous that Richie was the one asking if Eddie was okay.

"Are you hurt, Rich?" Eddie's wide eyes looked so worried. It made Richie smile slightly.

"I think I'm alright. He kicked the shit outta me. For a minute there I couldn't really breathe and wasn't sure if I could stand back up, but I'll be okay. I think it was more painful in the moment... I mean, it still hurts like hell, but I can walk and breathe and everything." Richie explained, remembering how terrified he had felt a few minutes ago, when he was on the ground, struggling to stand up, desperately needing to go to Eddie's aid.

"I told you to run, Eddie." Richie frowned, remembering how frustrated he was in that moment. He had tried to draw Patrick's attention to himself so Eddie could get away... Eddie just stood there. "Why didn't you run? If Henry didn't show up, Patrick would have hurt you really bad."

"I know." Eddie frowned, looking down. "But if I ran, he'd have hurt you."

Richie frowned. "I'd rather that than what he was going to do to you, Eddie. That's why I tried to draw his attention away from you, toward me."

Eddie looked up with him with raised eyebrows and a small smile.

"What?" Richie frowned.

"That's why I stayed, Rich... To draw his attention back... You always forget that people care about you too." Eddie frowned.

"What do you mean?" Richie furrowed his brows.

"I mean, you always run your mouth, trying to draw bullies away from us - toward you. I see what you're doing. We all see it." Eddie explained. "You do it for all of us. You try to protect everyone, but we don't want you to get hurt either. I don't want you to get hurt."

Richie looked down and shrugged. He didn't want Eddie trying to protect him. Eddie was the little one, the one Patrick was targeting. He told the smaller boy to run so he'd be safe - not so Eddie would stay behind and get himself hurt anyway.

"I appreciate you protecting me, Rich." Eddie reached his arm out and pulled his friend into a hug. "Let me protect you sometimes too."

Richie exhaled and forced himself to stop being upset over this. It was nice that Eddie felt compelled to keep Richie safe too. Richie wanted to always be the one protecting everyone, but Eddie was right. No matter how uncomfortable it made him feel to think of Eddie putting himself in danger for Richie's sake, it only made sense that Eddie might do that. That's how friendships worked - especially really close ones like theirs. It was a two-way street.

As he hugged his arm around Eddie, Richie felt tears stinging his eyes. He loved the smaller boy so much... and it felt good to know Eddie loved him back - cared so much about keeping Richie from getting hurt that he risked his own safety. And Eddie was naturally so scared - so good at self-preservation too - in regards to running like hell or hiding any chance he got... but he didn't today. He stayed, risked himself, just for Richie. It was so sweet Richie actually wanted to cry.

Richie cleared his throat and blinked back his unshed tears as he rubbed his hand up and down Eddie's arm, then clapped the smaller boy's shoulder. He wasn't going to let himself get emotional. Eddie was okay. Richie was okay... He needed to lighten the mood back up.

"Hey, Eddie." Richie stared down at his friend. "I think your mom's starting to like legitimately like me back."

Eddie shrugged, not realizing Richie was trying to make a joke. "I think she might... I was kinda scared shitless confronting her at the police station, but I think she actually listened to me - and respects that I care about you."

"I care about you too, Eds. And your mom." Richie laughed. "I care a whole hell of a lot about your mom. When she called and invited me over... Man... I was a little hurt when I learned she invited Bill and Mike too. Not really into orgies..."

Eddie shook his head and scoffed. "Richie..." He shoved his friend's arm. "Fucking gross."

"She probably invited the others just to try to mask her feelings for me." Richie smirked. "But I know the truth."

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Rich. I thought you were being serious for once."

Richie shrugged, but then pulled Eddie back into a hug. "I wasn't being serious... But I will be now. I really did feel honored that your mom trusted me with you. Don't tell her about today..." He added, widening his eyes and biting his lower lip. He couldn't believe Eddie's mom made this big fucking deal about trusting Richie with her son and Richie already almost fucked up, already walked him right into the hands of an older boy who legitimately tried to rape him a week ago.

"I won't." Eddie grinned. "I didn't even tell her about the other stuff. She still thinks I got lost in the woods for a whole fucking day."

Richie smirked too, shaking his head. "She must think you're an idiot."

"Right? The woods isn't even that big!" Eddie burst out laughing.

"You're lucky you're so damn cute and everybody treats you like a little kid. My mom would never believe me if I tried to sell her that bullshit." Richie laughed.

"Sure she would. You're dumb enough to get lost in your own back yard." Eddie stared up at him as though completely serious, then slowly started to smirk, turning his cheeks into round little balls and his eyes into half-moons.

Richie pulled Eddie close, lighting kissing his cheek. "I fuckin' love you Eds."

Eddie smiled, his cheeks growing a bit red as he reached up and ruffled Richie's hair. "I love you too, Rich. Thanks again... For everything. For finding me last week, distracting Patrick today... For everything before that - being my friend, putting up with me being scared all the time."

"Hey, don't do that, Eddie..." Richie frowned. "You know for damn sure you put up with a hell of a lot more bullshit from me than the other way around."

"Yeah. I do know." Eddie laughed.

Richie smiled, putting his arm back around Eddie's shoulders and leading the smaller boy back toward town. "We should get ice cream. You said you wanted to try all the flavors."

"All but the raisin." Eddie noted, putting his arm around Richie's back and leaning his head against the taller boy's shoulder.

"Of course. Nobody likes that." Richie agreed, squeezing his arm tight around his best friend. For the first time in a while, things seemed like they just might be okay. Their lives might actually run smoothly for a while.

**xxxxxx**

**THE END**

**xxxxxx**


End file.
